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AFTKl:    M.  U.  W.,    I'llUTO. 

THE  WOODED  HILL  COUNTRY  (page  195) 


AN  UNKNOWN 
PATRIOT 


A  STOKY  OF  THE  SECRET  SERVICE 


BY 


FRANK  SAMUEL  CHILD 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 

1899 


COPYRIGHT,    1899,   BY   FRANK   SAMUEL  CHILD 
AiL  RIGHTS   RESERVED 


00 

^ 


TO 

THE   MEMORY 
OF 

ELISHA    CHILD 

A  MODEST   AND   HONORED  PATRIOT  OF   1776 

CAPTAIN      TOWN-CLERK      DEPUTY 

COMMITTEE-MAN  ON  WAR 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVII. 


PAGE 

The  Great  Wolf  of  North  Carolina  1 

A  Devil  of  a  Dream  .         .         .         .  13 

To  All  Friends  of  American  Liberty  23 

Aaron  Burr  and  Dorothy  Q     .        .  42 

Twin  Cousins 59 

The    President    of    the   Continental 

Congress  celebrates  his  Nuptials  .  69 
The    United    American   Colonies    are 

Free  and  Independent  States          .  88 

One  Life  to  give  for  My  Country  100 
Billy  the  Butcher  broils  Pork   .        .116 

Under  the  Apple  Blossoms        .        .  134 

A  Prisoner  of  War         ....  148 

Two  Muffled  Figures          .        .        .  164 

A  Fleet  sails  up  the  Sound          .        .  182 

"  The  Firebrand  "  kindles  Flames    .  195 

Sky  a  Covering,  Earth  a  Couch          .  213 

One  Mysterious  Passenger        .        .  228 

A  Wrestling  Match  in  the  Woods     .  241 

The  Whaleboat  Party        .         .         .  255 

They  dine  on  Turkey  in  Mid-Sea         .  269 

A  Wounded  Man  in  the  Attic  .        .  284 

Major  Tallmadge  and  Major  Andre  .  299 

Desire  on  the  Mount  of  Vision       .  312 

In  Three  Places  at  the  Same  Time    .  325 

A  Pursuit  and  a  SKiR>nsH          .        .  340 

At  Fort  St.  George         ....  350 

"  Have  I  not  served  Seven  Years  ?  "  362 

Honored  by  Washington        .        .        .  379 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

The  Wooded  Hill  Country  (page  195)  Frontispiece 

Desire  ...  at  her  Task 44 

John  Hancock 56 

They  were  married  in  the  Great  Parlor          .  74 

Desire  and  Duane 112 

Headquarters  of  General  Silliman     .         .         .  152 

Fairfield  Beach 184 

Eunice  Dennie  Burr 200 

Colonel  Benjamin  Tallmadge   ....  220 

Tryon  Hall 262 

Judge  Thomas  Jones 282 

Governor  Jonathan  Trumbull     ....  374 


AN  UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 


CHAPTER  I 

THE    GREAT    WOLF    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA 

Governor  Tryon  set  his  heart  on  livino: 
in  a  fine  house.  "I'll  build  a  palace,"  he 
said  to  himself.  "  It  shall  be  the  most  stately 
and  expensive  mansion  in  all  the  American 
"wilderness." 

So  he  wheedled  and  flattered  the  people  of 
North  Carolina  until  the  Assembly  of  1766 
voted  him  five  thousand  pounds  sterling  that 
he  might  begin  the  edifice.  The  following 
year  ten  thousand  pounds  was  added  by  his 
minions  and  their  servants  in  the  legislature, 
and  then  the  huge  proportions  of  this  pro- 
vincial palace  thrust  themselves  into  the  vision 
of  his  fellow  conspirators  and  the  amazed  peo- 
ple of  the  colony. 

The  main  part  w^as  brick,  eighty-seven  feet 
front  and  fifty-nine  deep,  with  wings  for 
offices   and    servants'   quarters,    these   wings 


2  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

being  connected  with  the  palace  proper  by  a 
covered  curviform  colonnade.  The  chimney 
breasts  for  the  council  chamber^  dining-hall, 
drawing-room,  and  the  elaborate  cornices 
were  white  marble.  The  great  hall  had  four 
niches  for  statuary.  The  furnishings  of  the 
mansion  were  made  on  a  scale  in  harmony 
with  the  edifice.  A  handsome  court  stretched 
between  the  palace  and  its  wings  on  the  front, 
while  the  rear  was  finished  after  the  style  of 
the  London  Mansion  House. 

Fifteen  thousand  pounds  sterling  was  an 
enormous  sum  for  the  tax-payers  of  North 
Carolina  to  put  into  a  house.  It  was  a  piece 
of  unparalleled  extravagance.  New  York 
or  Boston  never  thought  of  such  a  thing. 
Neither  did  the  scattered,  impoverished  peo- 
ple of  this  southern  colony.  It  was  all  Tryon's 
doings.  This  was  what  he  came  to  America 
for, — to  be  the  head  man  of  his  province,  live 
in  prodigal  style,  and  squeeze  money  out  of 
the  colonists  as  you  squeeze  juice  out  of  an 
orange.  Did  not  Providence  open  up  the 
world  for  the  benefit  of  the  adventurous  Eng- 
lishman ?  And  had  not  the  colonial  govern- 
ors appointed  by  king  or  queen  made  it  a 
point  of  honor  (or  dishonor)  to  line  their 
pockets  and  fill  their  coffers  ? 


THE  GEE  AT  WOLF  OF  NORTE  CAROLINA      3 

The  poor  farmers,  planters,  traders,  were 
taxed,  imposed  upon,  abused,  and  defrauded 
until  they  rose  in  armed  resistance,  —  those 
sturdy,  weather-beaten  Scotch-Irish  Presbyte- 
rians and  their  like.  Tryon  enjoyed  it.  He 
was  a  soldier-governor.  There  was  a  vein  of 
ferocity  in  his  nature  which  simply  waited 
upon  opportunity.  Give  the  man  a  chance, 
and  he  would  show  the  world  how  to  deal 
with  Indians  or  rebels.  When  it  came  to 
treatment  of  the  Cherokees,  he  earned  the 
bloody  title  which  these  thwarted  enemies 
gave  him,  — "The  Great  Wolf  of  North  Car- 
olina." They  feared  and  hated  Tryon  with 
diabolic  intensity.  When  it  came  to  treat- 
ment of  the  disaffected  and  seditious  spirits  of 
his  colony,  he  was  at  the  first  wily  and  seduc- 
tive. Bearded  in  his  mansion  by  the  people, 
he  was  compelled  to  give  up  the  stamp-master 
for  North  Carolina.  "We  will  burn  your 
house,  yourself,  and  your  stamp-master  to- 
gether," said  the  angry  multitude.  So  Tryon 
yielded,  but  it  rankled  in  his  heart,  and  he 
thought  out  plans  of  retaliation.  "  Bear  down 
upon  them  for  the  taxes,"  was  his  word. 
"Double  and  treble  your  legal  fees,  your 
court  exactions ! " 

It  seemed  almost  impossible  to  get  justice. 


4  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  man  who  paid  the  largest  price  was  the 
man  in  whose  favor  a  verdict  was  declared. 
These  funds,  secured  by  fraud  and  treachery, 
were  divided  among  the  servants  and  officers 
of  the  crown.  Verily,  Governor  Tryon  car- 
ried things  with  a  high  hand,  and  it  gave 
him  a  famous  reputation.  He  knew  how  to 
manaofe  the  white  man  and  the  red  man.  Did 
he  not  create  a  wholesome  terror  in  the  hearts 
of  all  that  opposed  him  ?  Had  he  not  suc- 
ceeded in  bending  the  colony  to  his  will? 
Was  he  not  doing  well  for  the  crown  ?  There- 
fore was  he  called  the  best,  the  shrewdest, 
the  most  successful  among  his  contemporary 
rulers  of  provinces. 

Yes,  what  a  brave  and  masterful  campaign 
was  that  which  he  carried  on  against  the 
Regulators.  These  burdened,  harried  men 
were  driven  to  some  kind  of  organization. 
They  had  submitted  to  injustice  and  cruelty 
until  forbearance  ceased  to  be  a  virtue. 
Banded  together  in  order  to  resist  further 
encroachments  of  the  constituted  authorities, 
they  made  a  stand  for  liberty  and  justice. 
Tryon  met  them  at  Alamance  River  on  May 
16th,  1771,  and  there  fought  the  first  battle 
of  the  American  Revolution. 

The  rebels  were  brave.     Their  hearts  were 


THE  GREAT  WOLF  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA     5 

in  the  fight.  But  they  lacked  discipline  and 
generalship.  "  Tell  the  governor  we  defy 
him,"  was  the  message  they  sent  back  when 
he  demanded  their  surrender.  "  Battle  is 
what  we  want."  ''  The  Great  Wolf  of  North 
Carolina"  fell  upon  the  motley,  untrained 
band,  tearing  them  asunder  and  inflicting 
grievous  wounds.  The  Regulators  had  made 
their  stand,  and  the  mighty  Tryon  scattered 
them  to  the  four  winds,  accompanying  his 
victory  with  such  hangings,  burnings,  and 
confiscations  as  pleased  his  fancy  or  gratified 
his  sense  of  fitness. 

The  hot  breath  of  discontent  and  sedition 
carried  across  the  sea  had  at  length  struck 
his  Majesty  the  King  of  Great  Britain  in  the 
face.  These  fires  must  be  quenched.  Was 
it  not  meet  that  a  capable  and  conspicuous 
man  like  Tryon  should  be  transferred  from 
the  remoteness,  the  solitude  of  the  southern 
colony,  to  the  centre  of  trade  and  power  in 
the  north?  There  were  red  men  in  New  York, 
and  they  required  a  master  to  make  them 
efficient  allies  of  the  crown.  There  were 
white  men  that  must  be  held  in  check,  dis- 
ciplined, or  put  out  of  the  way.  Tryon  knew 
how  to  do  these  things.  He  was  well  versed 
in  the  subterfuges  and  cruelties  of  such  war- 


b  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

fare.  He  could  cheat  a  man  or  hang  him, 
burn  his  house  and  get  him  into  prison,  cut 
off  his  ears  or  confiscate  his  property,  with  a 
speed  and  sagacity  commanding  the  widest 
admiration. 

So  the  king  made  him  governor  of  New 
York.  Tryon  transferred  his  household  gods 
and  the  treasure  which  he  had  squeezed  out 
of  his  southern  victims  to  the  rising  metro- 
polis of  the  north. 

He  was  all  grace  and  suavity  when  in- 
ducted into  this  new  place  of  trust.  Having 
learned  several  lessons  in  manag^ement  while 
quarreling  with  the  people  of  North  Carolina, 
he  put  them  into  practice  while  conducting 
the  affairs  of  the  northern  colony,  gaining 
a  fair  measure  of  good-will.  Many  were  the 
flattering  words  which  he  spoke  to  his  new 
subjects.  Hospitality,  frankness,  concern  for 
the  general  welfare,  interest  in  all  the  things 
of  the  passing  day,  a  generous  friendliness,  a 
wonderful  tolerance  of  religious  opinions,  — 
these  were  some  of  his  characteristics,  and 
they  gained  him  popularity.  His  despotic 
will  did  not  show  itself.  While  he  contin- 
ued strict  as  a  disciplinarian,  he  tempered  his 
severity  with  such  reason  and  discernment  that 
people  refused  to  credit  the  reports  which  fol- 
lowed him  from  the  south. 


THE  GREAT  WOLF  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA     7 

"  You  know  what  they  call  him  in  North 
Carolina,  don't  you?"  The  speaker  was 
David  Hardy,  a  student  in  King's  College. 
He  was  addressing  his  cousin,  Duane  Living- 
stone. 

"  I  think  I  have  heard.  A  wolf,  is  it  ?  " 
And  he  turned  inquiringly  toward  the  col- 
legian. 

" '  The  Great  Wolf  of  North  Carolina,'  " 
repHed  young  Hardy.  "  I  doubt  not  he 
deserves  it.  The  ^  Sons  of  Liberty '  say  he 
is  a  devil." 

"  Now,  David,  you  ought  not  to  speak  that 
way  about  a  fine  gentleman  like  Governor 
Tryon.  It'll  never  do  for  a  parson  to  think 
ill  of  people.  You  must  have  more  charity  and 
believe  less  than  half  you  hear,  or  you  will  be 
no  fit  man  to  preach  the  gospel  of  peace." 

The  tone  of  the  speaker  was  gently  satiri- 
cal. He  was  three  years  the  senior  of  his 
cousin,  a  traveled  man  of  the  world,  en- 
gaged in  business,  and  doing  well,  so  that  he 
might  properly  talk  in  this  familiar  and  in- 
structive way.  Furthermore,  he  was  a  friend 
of  the  governor's.  He  had  known  the  family 
in  England  when,  as  a  schoolboy,  he  was 
invited  to  their  home.  He  had  visited  them 
in  Newbern  after  the  great  mansion  was  fin- 


8  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

ished,  and  enjoyed  the  free,  generous  life 
which  there  prevailed. 

"  Lies,  David,  lies,"  continued  the  callow 
merchant.  "  You  must  meet  his  Excellency. 
Although  a  born  man  of  affairs  burdened  with 
grave  responsibilities,  I  call  him  the  very  soul 
of  courtesy,  and  he  knows  all  about  good 
fellowship.  My  dear  cousin,  don't  believe 
the  stories  you  hear.  I  tell  you  they  are  lies. 
Come  with  me  some  time  when  I  call  upon  the 
family.  They  will  give  you  a  royal  wel- 
come." 

"Duane,"  exclaimed  the  cousin,  "I  believe 
you  're  an  out-and-out  Tory.  You  ought  to 
be  ashamed  of  yourself." 

"  Now,  David,  my  boy,  don't  get  excited," 
cried  Mr.  Livingstone.  "  You  must  learn  to 
curb  that  high-strung  Hardy  nature  of  yours. 
What's  the  use  of  maligning  a  man  and 
making  yourself  ridiculous  simply  because  he 
differs  from  you  in  his  opinions?" 

The  question  went  unanswered,  for  a  sud- 
den hght  flared  up  into  the  sky :  the  old  fire- 
bell  suddenly  clanged  out  its  tumultuous 
noise,  shrieking,  groaning,  muttering,  roaring, 
appealing  for  help,  crying  notes  of  warning, 
waking  all  the  echoes  of  the  little  city,  filling 
hearts  with  terror  and  foreboding. 


THE  GEE  AT  WOLF  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA     9 

The  young  men  ran  down  the  street  in  the 
direction  of  the  fire.  The  houses  poured 
forth  their  lively  volunteers,  adding  to  the 
racket  and  excitement.  Men  with  buckets, 
ladders,  all  sorts  of  convenient  apparatus, 
joined  the  motley  throng. 

"  Where  's  the  fire  ? "  shouted  a  score  of 
voices.  At  length  the  word  was  hurled  up 
and  down  and  across  the  town,  "  It 's  the 
governor's  house.  Governor  Tryon's  house 
is  on  fire  !  " 

Fort  George  was  at  the  lower  extremity  of 
the  island,  a  rectangular  stone-work  strength- 
ened with  bastions  at  its  angles,  elevated  on 
an  artificial  mound  fourteen  feet  high,  the 
main  gateway  fronting  on  the  Bowling  Green. 
It  contained  barracks  for  two  hundred  men, 
two  powder  magazines,  and  the  Province 
House.  The  counterscarp  on  the  eastern  and 
northern  fronts  was  used  as  a  garden  by  his 
Excellency. 

Duane  Livingstone  and  David  Hardy 
reached  the  spot  in  time  to  see  flames  burst 
from  the  upper  story  windows.  They  fairly 
ran  against  the  governor,  who  had  escaped 
from  the  burning  mansion  with  his  wife,  whom 
he  had  hurried  across  to  the  barracks.  Even 
as  they  met  him,  a  faint  cry  from  the  burning 


10  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

structure  smote  their  ears,  and  a  maiden 
appeared  in  the  window  of  a  second-story 
room.  It  was  Tryon's  daughter,  cut  off  from 
escape  through  the  ordinary  means  of  exit. 
The  governor  was  chained  to  the  spot  for  a 
second,  and  a  groan  of  horror  sounded  above 
the  roar  of  flames  and  the  din  of  help.  Then 
he  sprang  to  the  rescue  of  the  girl,  stood  be- 
neath the  chamber  window,  shouted  to  her 
that  she  must  jump  for  Hfe,  reached  forth  his 
arms  to  receive  the  down-coming  burden,  and 
waited  a  moment  in  torturing  expectancy, 
braced  for  the  fall  against  his  breast.  There 
was  the  swift  flioht  of  the  frio^htened  maiden 
through  the  air,  the  dark  form  silhouetted 
against  the  glare,  and  father  and  child  were 
clasped  in  each  other's  arms.  Then  the  build- 
ing became  a  seething  mass  of  contending, 
wrathful  flames. 

"  I  wonder  how  he  likes  it  ? "  remarked 
David  Hardy  to  his  cousin,  after  they  had 
done  what  little  service  lay  in  their  power, 
and  they  were  turning  away  homeward. 

"  Likes  what  ?  "  asked  Livingstone  sharply. 

"  Why,  likes  to  be  burnt  out.  It 's  an  old 
trick  of  his,  you  know,  to  burn  folks'  houses 
about  their  ears." 

"  Now,  look  here,"  —  it  was   Livingstone 


J 


THE  GREAT  WOLF  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA     11 

speaking,  —  "I  don't  know  any  such  things 
and  I  don't  believe  it,  either.  People  lie  about 
him.  He  did  n't  burn  the  homes  of  those 
wild,  seditious  North  Carolinians  any  more 
than  you  did.  They  were  all  the  time  fighting 
among  themselves.  He  told  me  so.  Tryon 
is  a  good  governor,  a  fair  man,  a  splendid 
soldier.  Why  can't  you  be  just  and  reason- 
able, and  give  a  man  his  due?  " 

"  Well,  Duane,  there  is  no  doubt  in  my 
mind  that  his  Excellency  Governor  Tryon  got 
a  part  of  his  due  to-night.  I  saw  his  face 
when  he  heard  the  cry  of  his  daughter. 
Great  beads  of  sweat  stood  on  his  forehead. 
The  lines  of  agony  looked  deep,  like  the  fur- 
rows of  old  age.  And  when  the  girl  sprang 
into  his  arms  and  they  stood  there  together 
in  their  first  sense  of  happy  safety,  I  thought 
of  the  men  and  the  women  who  had  suf- 
fered even  greater  affliction  and  torment 
through  the  commands  or  the  sufferance  of 
this  eminent  person  whom  you  call  your 
friend.  I  confess  that  I  felt  resigned  to  any 
momentary  distress  that  might  press  him  sore 
to-night." 

"  A  fine  preacher  you  '11  make,  young  man, 
with  such  a  spirit  of  wickedness  in  you.  I 
marvel  that  you  dare  to  think  of  the  minis- 
try." 


12  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  I  wonder  how  he  likes  it !  I  wonder 
how  he  Hkes  it !  "  David  Hardy  said  it  over 
several  times,  more  to  himself  than  to  his 
cousin.  He  was  revolving  it  in  his  mind, 
when  at  last  he  made  his  way  to  bed  and  fell 
asleep.  "  I  wonder  how  '  The  Great  Wolf  of 
North  Carolina  *  likes  to  be  burnt  out." 


CHAPTER  II 

A   DEVIL    OF    A    DREAM 

There  was  talk  in  Fairfield  when  Master 
Hardy  sent  his  grandson,  David,  to  King's 
College,  New  York.  What  business  had  a 
Puritan  New  Englander  in  a  Church  of  Eng- 
land institution  ?  Some  folks  said  that  the 
old  gentleman  was  losing  his  mind.  The 
boy  ought  to  have  gone  to  Yale,  where  his 
father  and  his  grandfather  went  before  him. 

But  Jeremiah  Hardy  was  as  hale  and  hearty 
at  fourscore  as  he  had  been  at  three ;  there 
were  no  more  signs  of  losing  his  mind  than 
of  losing  his  tongue,  as  many  a  friend  and 
enemy  was  prepared  to  testify. 

The  old  schoolmaster  had  taken  an  interest 
in  the  new  college,  because  his  good  friend, 
Rector  Johnson,  served  it  with  such  zeal,  and 
Philip  Livingstone  was  one  of  its  stanch 
helpers.  David  studied  there  because  his 
uncle  paid  all  the  bills  and  gave  his  nephew 
a  home. 

Master  Hardy  was  poor,  and  when  his  son 


14  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Jonathan,  who  was  a  parson,  died,  and  a  little 
later  this  son's  widow,  leaving  three  orphans 
to  the  care  of  their  grandfather,  the  old  gen- 
tleman felt  his  straitened  circumstances.  He 
could  live  well  enough  and  hold  his  own 
against  the  world,  but  it  is  hard  for  old  age 
to  assume  the  responsibilities  of  supporting  or 
training  a  young  family. 

The  schoolmaster  took  up  this  fresh  bur- 
den uncomplainingly,  refusing  to  accept  any 
help  from  sons  or  sons-in-law.  He  was  an 
independent  spirit,  asking  odds  of  nobody  so 
long  as  he  enjoyed  good  health.  When,  one 
glorious  morning,  the  life  of  his  wife  went 
out  with  the  tide,  the  burden  seemed  doubled 
and  trebled ;  yet  there  was  the  same  brave 
purpose  to  do  and  endure  unto  the  end,  lean- 
ing simply  upon  the  strong  arm  of  the  Great 
Father. 

David  was  ready  for  college  at  thirteen,  for 
his  grandfather  had  spent  a  great  deal  of 
time  over  the  boy.  He  was  to  take  the  place 
of  his  dead  sire  in  the  ministry,  so  Jeremiah 
Hardy  poured  the  strength  of  his  intellectual 
and  moral  life  into  the  open  vessel  of  this 
sensitive  nature.  But  as  the  grandfather  did 
not  have  the  money  to  pay  the  boy's  way, 
and  Philip  Livingstone  did,  being  glad  to  do 


A  DEVIL  OF  A  DREAM  15 

it  on  condition  that  David  became  a  member 
of  his  family,  affairs  naturally  took  this  turn. 

It  had  been  arranged  for  the  young  student 
to  read  his  course  in  divinity  with  the  ven- 
erable pastor  Hobart,  but  the  good  man  passed 
away  before  David  returned  to  Fairfield. 
Then  followed  the  usual  interregnum  in  the 
pastorate,  a  period  when  all  business  waits  in 
abeyance  upon  the  choice  of  a  new  minister. 

Thaddeus  Burr  and  other  citizens  were  fre- 
quent visitors  in  Boston,  and  they  heard  high 
words  of  praise  for  the  son  of  the  Rev. 
Andrew  Eliot,  D.  D.  He  was  a  tutor  in  Har- 
vard College,  a  young  man  of  rare  attain- 
ments, a  gentleman  of  the  best  social  position, 
one  combining  in  himself  so  many  graces  and 
virtues  that  he  evidently  was  admirably  fitted 
to  succeed  a  minister  of  parts  like  Mr.  Ho- 
bart. 

On  the  7th  day  of  February,  1774,  it  was 
voted  in  society's  meeting  that  Mr.  Elijah 
Abel  go  to  Cambridge  and  wait  upon  Mr. 
Andrew  Eliot,  Jr.,  from  thence  to  Fairfield, 
and  the  messenger  was  requested  to  set  out 
on  his  journey  at  once,  which  thing  he  did, 
returninof"  in  due  time  with  the  candidate. 
The  new  man  brouo^ht  with  him  the  intel- 
lectual  spirit  of  Boston,  a  thing  stimulating 


16  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  satisfactory   to  the   people  of   the  Con- 
necticut town. 

On  the  2d  of  March  the  young  minister 
wrote  to  his  father,  saying,  "  The  church  have 
this  day  met.  They  first  sent  a  committee  to 
confer  with  me  ahout  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism, owning  the  covenant,  the  mode  of 
administering  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  of  ad- 
mitting communicants.  After  the  committee 
had  made  report,  the  church  proceeded,  and 
by  an  unanimous  vote  gave  me  an  invitation 
to  the  pastoral  of&ce.  The  parish  are  to  meet 
next  Monday.  I  am  informed  there  is  like  to 
be  the  same  unanimity  among  them  as  in  the 
church." 

But  herein  Mr.  Eliot  erred.  It  was  many 
days  before  the  sentiments  and  opinions  of 
the  voters  in  the  ecclesiastical  society  crystal- 
lized. The  fact  that  ninety-nine  hundredths 
of  a  congregation  are  pleased  with  a  certain 
candidate  is  enough  to  excite  the  suspicion  or 
antagonism  of  some  possible  one  hundredth 
in  various  queer  parishes. 

When  the  society's  meeting  was  held,  there- 
fore, a  fair  degree  of  heat  manifested  itself 
during  the  discussion  over  Mr.  Eliot.  Ammi 
Barlow,  a  member  of  the  parish,  but  not  a 
member  of  the  church,  was  the  contentious 


A  DEVIL  OF  A  DREAM  17 

^^  one  hundredth  "  part  of  the  congregation  in 
this  case,  —  a  very  small  and  meagre  minority, 
yet  large  enough  to  show  strenuous  opposi- 
tion to  the  Bostonian.  There  was  no  reason 
for  his  course,  except  that  he  did  not  like  the 
man.  When  asked  to  go  into  particulars,  he 
hemmed  and  hawed,  simply  reiterating  his 
charge  that  he  did  n't  like  him. 

The  final  meeting  was  held  on  the  4th  of 
April.  After  a  free  expression  of  mind  on 
the  part  of  the  voters,  Mr.  Barlow  arose  and 
objected  to  an  election  on  that  day.  "  I  move 
that  the  meeting  adjourn  to  a  more  convenient 
season."  There  was  a  murmur  of  disapproval. 
Men  moved  uneasily  in  their  seats,  shrugged 
their  shoulders,  and  protested  with  numerous 
shakings  of  the  head.  At  this  point  Mr. 
Hardy  arose  and  addressed  the  meeting. 

"Mr.  Moderator,"  he  said,  "this  electing  a 
pastor  has  so  absorbed  me  that  I  could  not 
rid  my  mind  of  it.  Last  night  I  went  to  bed 
worrying,  and  for  hours  I  did  n't  sleep.  But 
finally  toward  morning  I  lost  myself,  and  I 
dreamed  a  dream,  and  it  was  all  about  this 
very  meeting.  If  no  one  objects,  I  '11  tell 
the  dream." 

Curiosity  had  been  excited,  for  the  school- 
master was  not  an  ordinary  dreamer.     Evi- 


18  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

dently  the  society's  meeting  was  to  be  enter- 
tained, and  things  would  take  a  new  tack. 
They  all  waited  upon  the  dreamer  with  keen 
interest. 

"  I  dreamed/'  continued  Master  Hardy, 
"  that  I  was  being  carried  away  through  the 
air.  I  went  down  and  down  and  down,  until 
I  knew  from  the  odor  of  things  and  the  awful 
heat  that  I  had  got  into  the  neighborhood  of 
the  infernal  regions.  The  racket  was  tre- 
mendous, and  all  space  was  filled  with  big 
and  little  devils.  A  sort  of  court  stretched 
into  the  distance,  and  I  saw  the  Devil  him- 
self seated  on  a  bench,  surrounded  by  a  vast 
multitude  of  evil  spirits,  who  came  and  went 
like  birds  building  nests  or  crows  stealing 
corn.  Pretty  soon  a  bright,  lively  imp  flew 
down  from  the  upper  realm  and  whispered 
somethinof  in  his  master's  ear.  Then  Satan 
rapped  on  his  bench  for  order,  and  shouted, 
^  Fellows,  to-morrow  the  members  of  the 
ecclesiastical  society  in  Fairfield  are  going  to 
try  again  to  elect  that  young  Andrew  Eliot 
to  be  their  minister.  Now  I  hate  that  man. 
He  's  an  out  and  out  fearless,  energetic  enemy 
of  mine.  He  takes  every  chance  he  can  get 
to  do  me  an  injury.  I  don't  w^ant  him  in 
Fairfield.      He  '11  make  it  harder  than  ever 


A  DEVIL   OF  A  DREAM  19 

for  me  to  keep  my  hold  on  the  few  people  in 
town  that  belong  to  me.     What  shall  we  do  ? ' 

"  '  Send  some  one  there  to  get  up  a  disturb- 
ance and  split  the  parish/  cried  a  wise  old 
minion  of  the  Evil  One. 

"  '  Yes,  yes.  That 's  it/  shouted  a  thou- 
sand hoarse  and  angry  voices. 

"  ^  I  like  your  suggestion/  answered  the 
Old  Boy.  '  Here,  Beelzebub,  you  take  Dis- 
cord with  you  and  settle  the  matter.  Don't 
come  back  until  you  have  got  the  whole  par- 
ish at  odds  and  everybody  quarreling  with 
everybody  else.' 

"  So  Beelzebub  and  Discord  started  for  Fair- 
field. Before  they  got  out  of  hearing  -  dis- 
tance, I  saw  a  fantastic  imp  fly  quickly  down 
to  the  father  of  devils  and  hold  a  short  con- 
versation with  him.  Then  Satan  jumped 
from  his  bench,  waved  his  hands  wildly,  and 
shouted  with  a  voice  that  sounded  like  a 
dozen  hurricanes  and  a  hundred  bulls  of  Ba- 
shan  rolled  together :  ^  Come  back,  come 
back,  COME  BACK  ! ' 

"  Beelzebub  and  Discord  turned  around  and 
flew  down  to  the  place  where  Satan  was  stand- 
ing, and  all  the  wild  multitude  listened. 

"  '  By  Jove,  fellows,  there  is  n't  any  use  in 
your  going  to  Fairfield.     It 's  a  waste  of  time. 


20  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Ammi  Barlow  will  be  on  hand,  and  he  can 
do  more  to  stir  up  strife  and  make  things 
hot  than  a  dozen  of  you  devils.'  There  was  a 
harsh,  hilarious  roar  of  assent,  the  very  walls 
of  hell  seemed  to  shake  with  diabolic  laughter, 
and  the  noise  waked  me  up,  and  then  I 
found  myself  sitting  upright  in  my  bed." 

The  schoolmaster  sat  down,  and  Ammi  Bar- 
low sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  A  devil  of  a  dream  is  that !  A  devil  of 
a  dream  is  that !  "  exclaimed  the  angry  oppo- 
nent of  Mr.  Eliot.  Down  the  aisle  of  the 
meeting-house  he  strode  with  rough  step,  mak- 
ins:  the  floor  shake  and  the  windows  rattle. 
Slamming  the  door  behind  him,  Mr.  Ammi 
Barlow  disappeared  from  the  scene. 

When  order  was  restored,  a  vote  was  taken, 
and  young  EHot  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacant 
pulpit.  He  was  to  have  an  annual  salary  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  lawful  money, 
with  the  use  of  the  lot  called  Applegate's,  and 
a  supplemental  sum  of  three  hundred  pounds 
in  yearly  installments  of  one  hundred  pounds 
for  his  settlement. 

The  result  of  the  election  delighted  David 
Hardy.  Boston  was  a  hotbed  of  patriotism, 
and  Andrew  Eliot,  Jr.,  was  infected.  Our 
young  divinity   student  sniffed  trouble  ;  the 


A  DEVIL  OF  A  DEE  AM  21 

new  minister  came  from  the  district  where 
conditions  promised  some  interesting  denoue- 
ment any  day.  David  had  ideas  concerning 
stamp  acts,  royal  authority,  and  kindred  mat- 
ters. He  thought  quite  as  much  on  these 
themes  as  on  the  more  sober,  scholastic  ques- 
tions of  free-will  and  divine  sovereignty. 

No  sooner  was  the  new  minister  settled 
than  friendship  bound  him  to  young  Hardy  ; 
no  sooner  were  they  reading  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment together  and  plunging  into  Puritan 
divinity  than  they  gave  themselves  with  kin- 
dling enthusiasm  to  the  problems  of  political 
history. 

It  was  a  happy  life  which  David  Hardy 
spent,  these  days.  He  was  a  great  scholar, 
and  the  short  weeks  passed  all  too  swiftly  in 
the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  Every  incentive 
to  achievement  urged  him  into  these  broad 
fields.  The  grandfather  was  a  man  of  books. 
Since  retirement  from  the  sovereignty  of  the 
rod,  his  days  had  been  divided  between  hard, 
cheerful  work  on  his  farm  and  earnest,  stimu- 
lating study.  Master  Hardy  made  a  good 
atmosphere  for  the  student. 

David  also  had  a  twin  sister,  possessed  of 
wit,  intelligence,  and  learning.  She  was  a 
restless,  dare-devil  spirit,  otherwise  she  might 


22  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

have  been  a  scholar  the  equal  of  her  brother ; 
but  ambition  in  Desire's  case  concerned  David. 
He  was  doing  well,  and  must  be  encouraged  in 
his  pursuits.  So  she  made  a  willing  sacrifice 
of  herself  in  order  to  advance  the  interests 
of  this  brother. 

Dressed  in  a  blue  copperplate  gown,  with 
her  sister  Lois  sewing  by  her  side,  she  spun 
at  the  wheel  and  joined  in  bright  conversation 
when  the  new  minister  and  her  brother  sat 
over  their  grave  studies.  The  subject  might 
be  a  regimental  banner  with  the  legend,  "  An 
Appeal  to  Heaven,"  in  golden  letters,  or  the 
scarlet  coat  and  trousers,  with  a  triangular 
laced  hat,  worn  by  the  old  soldiers  at  Louis- 
burg,  or  Andrew  Eliot's  old  home  in  Boston, 
on  Hanover  Street  (built  by  Increase  Mather 
in  1677,  and  sold  more  than  a  generation 
later  to  Dr.  Eliot),  or  the  Ministerial  Army, 
or  any  theological  topic.  Desire  had  her 
opinions,  and  was  a  keen,  stanch  defender  of 
them.  Life  in  the  Hardy  family  was  condu- 
cive to  intellectual  vigor. 


CHAPTER   III 

TO    ALL    FRIENDS    OF    AMERICAN    LIBERTY 

"  The  stories  of  suffering  in  Boston  are  piti- 
ful. It  makes  my  heart  ache.'*  David  Hardy 
was  reading  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John 
in  the  Greek,  and  Mr.  Eliot  was  teaching  him 
the  art  of  exegesis.  They  were  sitting  in 
the  parson's  study,  a  sombre,  dignified  room, 
adorned  with  black  walnut  cases  filled  to 
overflowing  with  several  hundred  volumes. 

"  It  seems  unchristian  for  me  to  lino^er 
here  in  Fairfield  amid  all  abundance,  while 
so  many  friends  in  Boston  are  reduced  to 
such  unhappy  extremities."  Mr.  Eliot  in- 
terrupted the  flow  of  Greek  discourse.  His 
mind  insistently  turned  to  the  events  of  the 
day. 

"  We  '11  help  them,"  exclaimed  the  divinity 
student.  "  You  know  our  townsmen  are  al- 
ready talking  about  it.  I  was  up  to  Colonel 
Silliman's  last  night,  and  he  said  that  Boston 
was  passing  through  martyrdom  for  all  New 
England  and  the  colonies." 


24  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  was  hard  to  stick  to  Greek^  or  theology, 
or  the  history  o£  Puritanism,  when  every 
stage  from  Boston  or  New  York  brought 
news  of  agitation  and  resistance,  or  the  story 
of  fresh  indignities  on  the  part  of  insolent 
redcoats.  The  progress  made  by  the  young 
man  in  Biblical  studies  did  not  equal  that  in 
the  knowledge  and  philosophy  of  political 
happenings. 

The  Rev.  Andrew  Eliot  purposed  to  set 
David  Hardy  a  good  example  in  respect  to 
abstinence  from  political  excitement.  "  I  do 
not  practice  visiting  very  much  unless  I  am 
sent  for,"  the  new  minister  wrote  to  his  father 
in  October.  "  I  am  better  contented  when  at 
home,  and  my  best  employment  is  in  my 
study.  I  shall  not  meddle  much  with  poli- 
tics, though  they  are  the  chief  topic  of  con- 
versation among  us,  and  yet  I  cannot  avoid 
being  engaged  sometimes."  The  words  were 
not  dry  upon  the  paper  before  minister  and 
student  were  caught  in  the  strong  current 
of  popular  feeling,  most  ardent  and  zealous 
among  their  fellow  citizens,  in  devices  for  the 
succor  and  heartening  of  the  patriots  in 
Boston. 

One  expression  of  town  sentiment  was 
shown  by  the  following  letter  :  — 


TO   ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMEBIC  AN  LIBERTY     25 

Fairfield,  November  8,  1774. 

Gentlemen,  —  The  town  of  Fairfield  by 
donations  have  collected  750  bushels  of  grain 
of  various  kinds  which  is  ordered  to  you  by 
Captain  Thorpe,  bound  for  Salem,  which  we 
wish  safe  to  hand,  and  hope  this  little  testi- 
monial of  our  attachment  to  the  common 
cause  will  comfort  the  hearts  of  all  those 
worthy  patriots  in  the  town  of  Boston  who 
have  so  manfully  exerted  themselves  in  the 
cause  of  liberty,  as  well  as  those  poor  who 
are  suffering  under  the  unjust  and  cruel  oper- 
ations of  the  unjust  and  cruel  Port  Bill. 
Persevere  in  your  glorious  opposition.  We 
are  not  insensible  of  your  sufferings,  and  hope 
we  shall  yet  consider  ourselves  bound  to 
afford  you  such  succor  and  relief  as  our  cir- 
cumstances and  your  wants  demand. 

We  are,  with  great  truth  and  regard,  your 
most  obedient  servants. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  town's  committee 
on  donations. 

Jonathan  Sturges. 

To  be  communicated  to  the  committee  of 
Ways  and  Means  in  Boston  or  Overseers  of 
the  Poor. 

Boston   responded   with    a   fine   letter   of 


26  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

thanks,  saying  that  the  testimony  which  the 
patriotic  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Fairfield 
gave  of  their  attendance  to  the  glorious  cause 
of  liberty  afforded  much  comfort  as  wxU  as 
seasonable  rehef  to  their  friends  who  were 
sufferino;  under  the  cruel  rod  of  ministerial 
tyranny  and  oppression.^ 

It  w^as  only  a  month  later  that  a  legal  meet- 
ing of  the  inhabitants  of  Fairfield  was  held, 
to  consider  the  agreement  and  association  en- 
tered into  by  the  Continental  Congress.  An 
enthusiastic  approval  was  voted,  gentlemen 
appointed  to  cooperate  in  the  work,  a  county 
congress  favored  and  representatives  named, 
and  a  committee  of  correspondence  for  the 
town,  consisting  of  Colonel  Gold  S.  Silliman, 
Jonathan  Sturges,  Andrew  Rowland,  Esq., 
Mr.  Job  Bartram,  and  Thaddeus  Burr,  Esq., 
elected. 

This  early  swinging  into  line  and  casting  in 
their  lot  with  the  champions  of  liberty  made 
the  people  of  the  town  a  conspicuous  mark  for 
the  hatred  and  malice  of  the  British.  But 
what  of  it  ?  They  must  take  their  chances 
with  the  rest  of  the  revoltins^  colonists.     The 

^  Text  of  letter  is  given  m  An  Old  New  England  Town, 
page  103.  This  acknowledgment  of  help  was  written  on  the 
24th  of  November,  1774. 


TO  ALL  FRIEXDS   OF  AMEBICAN  LIBERTY     27 

sea  exposure  might  tell  against  them  and  the 
beautiful  town  get  herself  into  difficulties,  but 
these  were  not  the  days  to  sit  down  and  be- 
grudge one's  strength  or  property.  A  great 
stake  was  at  issue.  Even  the  boys  and  the 
girls  were  clear  sighted  enough  to  see  the 
trend  of  things. 

"  Oh,  Desire,"  cried  Lois  Hardy,  the  eleven- 
year-old  witch  in  the  schoolmaster's  family, 
"  I  wash  I  was  a  man." 

^^  Don't  let  grandfather  hear  you  say  such 
a  thing,"  replied  Desire,  "for  it  would  hurt 
his  feelino^s.  He  thinks  a  woman  's  the  noblest 
work  of  God.  And  well  he  might,  after  liv- 
ing fifty  years  with  such  a  saint  as  grand- 
mother. But,  Lois,  I  wish  I  was  a  man  too. 
I  never  see  the  militia  on  training-day  that 
I  don't  turn  green  with  envy.  But,  dear  me, 
child,  I  ought  not  to  talk  so  to  you." 

Desire  Hardy  had  been  the  housekeeper 
in  her  grandfather's  family  since  old  Mrs. 
Hardy's  death,  and  the  maternal  oversight  of 
Lois  was  part  of  her  daily  task.  It  required 
a  great  deal  of  grace  to  keep  herself  in  check, 
for  Desire  was  a  queer  girl,  evincing  many  of 
the  startlinof  characteristics  transmitted  from 
a  line  of  extraordinary  ancestors.  But  when 
the  burden  of  training  Lois  was  added  to  that 


28  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

of  looking  after  herself.  Desire  said  that,  had 
it  not  been  flying  in  the  face  of  Providence, 
she  would  have  given  up  in  despair. 

The  year  had  been  one  of  great  strain. 
Not  that  the  housework  was  too  much  for 
the  lithe,  active  maiden,  for  she  had  the  help 
of  black  Chloe,  the  slave,  who  was  in  every 
sense  of  the  word  a  member  of  the  family, 
devoted  to  their  well-being.  It  was  mental 
strain  that  taxed  Desire.  She  wanted  to  be 
doing  something  for  her  country,  but  she 
was  a  young  woman,  keeping  house  for  an 
old  gentleman,  looking  after  the  clothes  of  a 
twin  brother,  trying  to  manage  a  younger  sis- 
ter and  keep  on  good  terms  with  an  ancient, 
domineering,  faithful  domestic.  These  were 
trying  circumstances  in  which  to  put  a  high- 
strung,  impetuous  girl,  who  had  known  little 
restraint  on  the  part  of  a  mother,  and  had 
always  been  used  to  her  own  way  in  so  far 
as  that  was  possible  in  a  house  with  Jeremiah 
Hardy. 

"  Lois,  it  seems  to  me  sometimes  that  I 
must  die  unless  I  get  a  chance  to  fight  for 
our  liberty  and  honor.  There  's  David  study- 
ing to  be  a  minister,  and  he  can't  do  any- 
thing. It  would  n't  make  any  difference  to 
me  if  I  was  a  parson,  I  'd  fight  like  a  tiger  if 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS   OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     29 

any  British  soldiers  tried  to  drive  me  into 
paying  unjust  taxes.  I  glory  in  the  spirit 
shown  by  those  old  Regulators  in  North 
Carolina,  and  I  tell  Duane  so  every  time  I 
see  him.  It  always  vexes  him,  you  know, 
because  he  's  such  a  friend  of  Governor 
Tryon,  and  he  says  Tryon  was  in  the  right. 
But  we  know  better.  Lois,  I  can  handle  a 
musket  as  well  as  David  or  Duane.  I  made 
them  teach  me  a  long  time  ago.  And  I  can 
fence  and  do  all  sorts  of  military  tricks. 
Don't  you  tell  grandfather.  How  shocked 
he  would  be  !  But  I  know,  child,  that  wild 
times  are  ahead  of  us.  I  expect  we  shall 
have  to  defend  ourselves,  and  I'm  getting 
ready  to  do  my  part.  Lois,  I  '11  show  you 
how  to  shoot,  the  first  day  we  get  a  chance." 

The  eyes  of  the  little  girl  shone  with  ex- 
citement. 

"  Do,  please.  Desire,  I  should  love  to  han- 
dle the  old  musket  and  learn  how  to  help 
you  when  the  British  come."  For  there  was 
no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  these  two  girls  that 
war  must  soon  involve  them  in  its  tragedy. 
They  had  listened  when  Mr.  Thaddeus  Burr 
and  Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges  told  of  the  straits 
in  which  the  people  of  Boston  were  placed. 
They  had  become  familiar  with  scenes  of  the 


30  AZV   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

blockade  through  the  frequent  narratives  of 
Mr.  Andrew  Eliot,  repeated  over  and  over 
again  by  David. 

So  the  winter  wore  away,  and  everybody 
lived  in  a  state  of  suspense  and  anxiety. 
Fairfield  kept  in  close  touch  with  the  New 
England  capital.  Many  of  her  citizens  had 
emiorated  from  that  neio^hborhood  or  inter- 
married  with  Boston  families.  There  were 
strong  ties  of  blood  and  friendship  binding 
the  two  places  together.  The  new  minister 
was  a  fresh  bond  of  interest  and  affection. 
There  was  also  considerable  trade  carried  on 
between  the  Massachusetts  and  the  Con- 
necticut seaport,  Fairfield  being  esteemed  by 
many  people,  and  particularly  designated  by 
the  Records,  as  the  second  seaport  in  im- 
portance within  the  colony. 

Communication  with  Boston  was  now  un- 
certain. Thaddeus  Burr  had  been  appointed 
by  the  Assembly  to  engage  and  employ,  at 
public  expense,  two  news-carriers  to  perform 
regular  stages  from  Fairfield  to  Woodstock, 
passing  through  Windham  and  Lebanon  in 
such  manner  that  they  were  to  arrive  in 
Hartford  every  Saturday.  He  was  one  of  a 
committee  in  the  colony  to  look  out  for  ex- 
traordinary and  important  intelligence,    but 


\ 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     31 

sucli  a  service  was  subject  to  many  diffi- 
culties, and  communication  between  distant 
towns  grew  more  and  more  infrequent  and 
expensive. 

One  Saturday  morning  in  the  spring  of 
1775  (it  was  April  22d),  at  about  eight 
o'clock.  Colonel  Gold  Selleck  Silliman  and 
Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges  came  over  to  see  Mr. 
Thaddeus  Burr.  They  were  members  of  the 
war  committee,  and  met  for  frequent  consul- 
tation. The  three  gentlemen  stood  on  the 
front  porch  of  the  great  mansion,  their  earnest 
speech  being  noted  by  various  passers-by,  so 
that  a  little  group  formed  on  the  corner  below 
Mr.  Burr's  and  waited  for  developments.  On 
the  Green  above,  there  was  a  semicircle  of 
children  formed  in  front  of  the  stocks,  watch- 
ing a  culprit  as  he  submitted  to  punishment 
for  some  slight  peccadillo. 

The  sharp  impact  of  horses'  hoofs  upon 
the  half-frozen  and  slushy  ground  suddenly 
diverted  the  attention  of  people  on  the  street. 
Down  past  Mr.  Abel's  and  Captain  Dimond's 
a  swift  horseman  came,  his  animal  steaming 
and  sweating  in  the  early  sunshine,  the  mes- 
senger straining  every  nerve  to  speed  his  way 
through  the  town.  Opposite  Mr.  Burr's  he 
brought  his  steed  to  a  sudden  halt,  and  passed 


32  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

into  the  hands  of  Colonel  Silliman  a  sealed 
packet. 

The  messenger  was  Trail  Bissell,  who 
brought  the  news  of  Lexington. 

"  Yes,"  cried  he,  as  Mr.  Sturges  looked  in- 
quiringly into  his  face.  "  The  blow  has  been 
struck.  The  redcoats  marched  from  Boston 
to  Lexington  and  fired  upon  our  militia,  kill- 
ing six  men  and  wounding  four  others.  To 
arms  !  to  arms  !  " 

Lois  and  half  a  dozen  children  ran  down  the 
street ;  the  little  group  of  men  on  the  corner 
crossed  hurriedly  over ;  neighbors  thrust  their 
heads  out  of  windows  or  ran  along  in  the 
path  of  the  messenger.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  bell  of  the  Prime  Ancient  Society 
was  ringing,  and  then  men,  women,  and 
children  flocked  into  the  open,  and  told  the 
news  to  one  another  with  bated  breath,  flash- 
ing eye,  and  crimsoned  cheek. 

The  paper  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
colonel  read  as  follows  :  — 

Watertowx,  "Wednesday  morning 
near  10  of  the  clock. 

To  all  friends  of  American  Liberty,  be  it 
known,  that  this  morning  before  break  of 
day,  a  brigade  consisting  of  about  1000  or 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     33 

1200  men  landed  at  Phipps's  Farm  at  Cam- 
bridge and  marched  to  Lexington,  where 
they  found  a  company  of  our  colony  militia 
in  arms,  upon  whom  they  fired  without  any 
provocation  and  killed  six  men  and  wounded 
four  others.  By  an  express  from  Boston  we 
find  another  Brigade  are  now  upon  the  march 
from  Boston,  supposed  to  be  about  1000. 
The  bearer,  Trail  Bissell,  is  charged  to  alarm 
the  country  quite  to  Connecticut;  and  all 
persons  are  desired  to  furnish  him  with  fresh 
horses  as  they  may  be  needed.  I  have  spoken 
with  several  who  have  seen  the  dead  and 
wounded.  Pray  let  the  Delegates  from  this 
Colony  to  Connecticut  see  this,  they  know 
Col.  Forster,  one  of  the  Delegates. 

J.  Palmer, 
One  of  the  Committee. 

A  true  copy  of  the  original,  per  order  of 
the  Committee  of  Correspondence  of  Worces- 
ter, April,  1775. 

Attested  and  forwarded  bv  the  Committees 
of  Brookline,  Norwich,  New  London,  Lyme, 
Saybrook,  Killings  worth,  E.  Guilford,  Guil- 
ford, Brandford,  New  Haven. 

To  this  document,  later  in  the  day,  the 
committee  added  the  following  :  — 


34  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Fairfield,  Saturday,  April  22 
at  eight  o'clock. 

Since  the  above  was  written  we  have  re- 
ceived the  following  by  a  second  exjDress :  — 

Thursday,  3  o'clock,  afternoon. 

Sir,  —  I  am  this  moment  informed  by  an 
express  from  Woodstock,  taken  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Express,  then  two  of  the  clock 
afternoon,  That  the  contest  between  the  first 
Brigade  that  marched  to  Concord  was  still 
continuing  this  A.  M.  at  the  town  of  Lexing- 
ton, to  which  said  Brigade  had  retreated,  that 
another  Brigade  had,  said  to  be  the  second 
mentioned  in  this  letter  of  the  morning, 
landed  with  a  quantity  of  Artillery,  at  the 
place  where  the  first  did.  The  Provincials 
were  determined  to  prevent  the  two  Brigades 
from  joining  their  strength  if  possible  and 
remain  in  great  succour. 

N.  B.  —  The  Regulars  when  in  Concord 
burnt  the  Court  House,  took  two  pieces  of 
cannon,  which  they  rendered  useless ;  and 
began  to  take  up  Concord  bridge,  on  which 

Capt. (who,  with  many  on  both  sides, 

were  soon  killed)  made  an  attack  upon  the 
King's  troops,  on  which  they  retreated  to 
Lexington.  I  am,      Eb.  AVilliams. 

To  Col.  Obadiah  Johnson,  Canterbury. 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS   OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     35 

P.  S.  —  M.  McFarlane  of  Plainfield,  mer- 
chant, has  just  returned  from  Boston  by  way 
of  Providence,  who  conversed  with  an  Ex- 
press from  Lexington,  who  further  informs, 
that  4000  of  our  troops  had  surrounded  the 
first  Brigade  above  mentioned,  who  were  on 
a  hill  in  Lexington,  that  the  action  continued 
and  there  were  about  50  of  our  men  killed 
and  150  of  the  Regulars  as  near  as  they  could 
determine,  when  the  Express  came  away ;  it 
will  be  expedient  for  every  man  to  go  who 
is  fit  and 

To  this  paper  was  added  these  sentences 
and  names  :  — 

"  The  above  is  a  true  copy  as  received  for 
express  from  New  Haven  and  attested  by  the 
Committee  of  Correspondence,  from  town  to 
town. 

"  Attest :  Jonathan  Sturges, 

Andrew  Rowland, 
Thad.  Burr, 
Job  Bartram, 

Committee." 

The  entire  document  was  forwarded  to 
New  York,  where  it  was  received  at  four 
o'clock,  and  immediately  sent  to  Philadelphia, 
by  Isaac  Low,  chairman  of  the  New  York 
Committee. 


36  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  was  a  day  of  tense  feeling  in  the  town. 
Every  patriotic  soul  was  fertile  in  loyal  en- 
deavors to  get  the  train-band  into  marching 
order. 

"  Oh,  Desire,  Desire  !  "  cried  Lois  Hardy, 
as  she  rushed  wildly  into  the  schoolmaster's 
house,  "  the  redcoats  have  killed  a  great 
many  of  our  soldiers,  and  everybody  must 
go  to  the  war.  A  man  has  just  come  from 
Boston  with  the  news,  and  Colonel  Silliman 
is  going  to  call  out  our  militia." 

"  Lois  Hardy,  what  do  you  mean !  "  ex- 
claimed Desire,  as  she  stopped  in  the  midst 
of  her  Saturday  morning  baking  and  gazed 
excitedly  at  the  child.  "Do  you  know  what 
you  are  talking  about  ?  Is  it  really  true  ? 
You  run  uj)  to  Mr.  Eliot's  and  see  if  David 
is  there,  and  go  to  the  barn  and  ask  your 
grandfather  to  come  in.  Oh,  how  I  wish 
that  I  was  a  man  and  could  start  off  this  very 
minute  and  fight  all  the  cruel  horde  !  " 

Desire  passed  the  baking  over  to  Chloe, 
donned  her  old  camblet  cloak  and  hood,  and, 
without  waiting  for  Grandfather  Hardy  or 
the  return  of  David,  walked  rapidly  up  to  the 
Green. 

In  an  hour  the  alarm  had  gone  abroad,  and 
the  open  space  in  the  middle  of  the  town  was 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     37 

the  scene  of  feverish  activity.  People  had 
kept  their  firearms  in  very  good  condition 
for  several  months,  so  that  there  was  little 
furbishing  to  be  done.  But  clothes  had  to 
be  inspected  and  put  into  traveling  condition, 
provisions  gathered  and  made  portable,  —  a 
hundred  trivial  matters  attended  to. 

Captain  David  Dimon  was  here,  there, 
everywhere,  giving  orders,  consulting  with 
Colonel  Silliman  and  other  members  of  the 
Committee  of  Correspondence,  holding  in 
check  the  restless  spirits  of  his  lively  troops, 
trying  to  get  things  into  such  shape  that  they 
might  start  on  their  long  march  before  even- 
ing. 

The  Rev.  Andrew  Eliot  and  Thaddeus 
Burr  addressed  the  people  in  the  meeting- 
house when  there  came  a  slio:ht  lull  in  the 
excitement.  It  was  impossible  for  all  to  get 
within  the  walls,  but  the  doors  were  wide 
open,  and  the  multitude  that  surrounded  the 
building  caught  now  and  again  a  sentence. 
When  it  came  to  the  prayer,  every  head  was 
bowed,  and,  amid  a  silence  which  was  intense 
with  suppressed  emotions,  the  young  minister 
from  Boston  prayed  for  the  men  who  had  made 
their  brave  stand  for  liberty  at  Lexington, 
and  for  the  great  fraternity  of  patriots  in  the 


38  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

beleaguered  city  and  its  neighborhood.  Then 
he  stretched  forth  his  hands  in  benediction 
above  the  company  of  Fairfield  soldiers  who 
now  went  forth  to  share  in  the  defense  of 
home  and  honor,  the  firstfruits  of  love  and 
sacrifice  in  behalf  of  their  native  land.  What 
a  prayer  welled  up  from  his  patriot  soul, 
mino^linof  with  the  flame  of  heroic  devotion ! 

It  was  April.  The  breath  of  spring  kissed 
the  worshipers.  Then  came  sunshine,  then 
shower.  Was  it  not  April  in  every  soul  ?  — 
the  breaking  up  of  deep,  long-repressed  feel* 
inofs,  the  tears  of  a  wild  sorrow,  the  smiles  of 
a  glowing  faith,  a  loyal  heartening  for  the 
struggle  ? 

The  day  was  swiftly  declining  when  Cap- 
tain Dimon  drew  up  his  company  in  martial 
array,  and  they  awaited  the  word  of  march. 
What  clasping  of  hands,  what  multitude  of 
kisses,  what  tender  embraces  said  farewell 
and  farewell !  The  shrill  notes  of  the  fife 
smote  the  air,  there  was  a  steady  tramp, 
tramp  of  feet,  great  wavings  of  kerchiefs  and 
hats,  cheer  upon  cheer,  a  thousand  good-by 
messages  flying  across  the  Green,  then  up 
and  away  moved  the  proud,  defiant,  hand- 
somely equipped  band. 

Parson  Eliot,  Grandfather  Hardy,  Colonel 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMEBIC  AN  LIBERTY     39 

Silliman,  Mr.  Burr,  and  others  followed  along 
beyond  Gold's  bridge,  freighting  the  air  with 
their  good  wishes,  loath  to  let  the  company- 
pass  out  of  their  sight.  David  Hardy  with 
his  two  sisters  pushed  on  toward  Newfield. 

"  I  hope  we  '11  have  a  chance  at  'em,"  cried 
Desire,  with  vehemence. 

"  It  will  come  in  due  time,"  observed  David 
gravely.  "  I  see  before  us  years  of  conflict. 
And  our  beloved  town  will  not  escape  the  fire 
and  the  sword." 

"  Oh,  David,  do  you  think  it  ?  Will  the 
war  really  come  to  Fairfield  ?  Shall  we  have 
to  fight  here  at  home,  see  ships  firing  on  us 
from  the  water,  meet  the  foe  face  to  face,  in 
order  to  defend  our  rights  ?  How  I  wish  I 
miofht  shoulder  a  musket !  " 

"  Child,  sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil 
thereof.  War  is  a  horrible  catastrophe.  But 
we  are  in  the  right,  and  we  '11  fight  until  the 
day  is  won  and  justice  is  done  to  these  in- 
sulted and  oppressed  colonies." 

"  I  wonder  what  Duane  will  say  now ! " 
inquired  Desire.  "  I  warrant  you  he  will  up- 
hold Governor  Try  on." 

"  Well,  that  may  be.  I  think  it  quite  likely. 
Duane  is  very  self-willed  and  opinionated.  His 
years  in  England  did  him  more  harm  than 


40  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

good.  He  acts  so  high  and  mighty  sometimes 
that  I  have  n't  any  patience  left.  And  yet 
Duane  is  a  fine  fellow.  I  wish  he  did  n't 
patronize  me  quite  so  much.  Perhaps  if  I 
did  n't  wear  his  old  clothes,  it  might  he  dif- 
ferent." 

"  Now,  David,  he  is  n't  so  mean  as  to  feel 
above  you  because  you  take  his  cast-off  clothes. 
He 's  too  true  a  gentleman  for  that.  But  I 
do  think  that  England  has  half  spoiled  him. 
Probably  his  friends  there  paid  him  a  good 
deal  of  attention,  for  he  has  a  winning  way, 
and  is  excellent  company.  I  suppose  he  was 
a  sort  of  curiosity,  a  nine  days'  wonder,  being 
a  native  of  the  western  wilderness.  A  great 
many  of  those  people  imagine  we  are  half 
savages  here  in  America,  you  know.  They 
can't  believe  their  eyes  when  they  see  a  gen- 
tleman who  was  raised  in  the  colonies." 

"There  they  go  over  the  hill.  They  're 
getting  out  of  sight,"  cried  Lois,  as  she  fran- 
tically waved  her  hands  and  pointed  to  the 
disappearing  train-band.  The  attention  of 
her  brother  and  sister  had  been  relaxed  for  a 
moment. 

"  God  bless  them ! "  miu^mured  Desire,  tears 
filling  the  eyes,  lips  quivering. 

"  God  bless  them  !"  said  David  reverently, 


TO  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  AMERICAN  LIBERTY     41 

as  he  shaded  his  face  and  peered  into  the 
gathering  shadows. 

"  God  bless  them  !  God  bless  them  !  "  It 
was  Lois  whose  words  crept  into  the  stillness 
of  the  oncoming  twilight,  hushing  the  ad- 
vance of  the  trio.  A  moment  they  hesitated, 
and  then  turned  back,  making  a  silent,  swift 
way  to  the  home  of  the  schoolmaster. 


CHAPTER   IV 

AARON    BURR    AND    DOROTHY    Q 

People  must  eat  and  drink,  get  their 
night's  sleep,  take  care  of  the  farm,  spin, 
weave,  knit,  mend,  look  after  every  day's  busi- 
ness, even  when  grim  War  stalks  through  the 
land.     So  the  old  routine  of  life  continued. 

The  first  blow  spurred  the  patriots  to  re- 
doubled activity  in  their  diverse  employments, 
for  if  there  was  much  fighting  to  be  done,  a 
tremendous  amount  of  hard  work  must  pre- 
cede and  accompany  the  struggle.  The  colo- 
nies were  now  cut  off  from  commerce  with  the 
mother  country ;  stern  necessity  as  well  as 
robust  pride  forced  the  Americans  to  restrict 
their  diet  to  home  products,  their  wearing 
apparel  and  a  thousand  other  articles  to  home 
manufacture. 

David  Hardy  was  running  the  farm  while 
studying  to  be  a  minister.  This  spring  he 
ploughed  up  a  great  number  of  acres,  and  did 
an  immense  amount  of  planting  and  sowing. 
Since  the   age  and  infirmity  of  his   graiid- 


AARON  BURR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  43 

father,  as  well  as  the  nature  of  David's  pro- 
fession, made  it  advisable  for  him  to  stay  at 
home,  he  was  determined  to  offset  these  re- 
strictions by  an  unusual  diligence  in  tilling 
the  soil,  so  that  they  might  have  an  abundance 
to  contribute  in  case  the  colonies  needed  sup- 
plies. 

Desire  was  equally  ambitious  to  do  her  part. 
She,  with  Lois  and  Chloe,  spun  and  wove,  knit 
and  sewed,  every  hour  that  could  be  spared 
from  other  labors ;  when  extra  help  was  re- 
quired in  the  field,  they  turned  their  hands  to 
whatever  task  David  suggested.  The  same 
thino^  was  observed  amono^  all  their  neiofhbors. 
Few  hours  were  idled  away  in  vain  gossip. 
One  must  work  to  meet  the  emergency. 
When  one  had  something  to  say,  it  was 
mingled  with  the  service  in  household,  shop, 
or  field.  And  there  was  a  great  amount  of 
talking  done,  for  the  crisis  was  uppermost  in 
everybody's  mind. 

"  Desire,"  said  Lois,  one  bright,  blithe 
morning,  "  they  've  got  company  down  at 
Mr.  Thaddeus  Burr's.  I  saw  the  stao^e-coach 
stop  at  the  house.  Two  ladies  got  out,  and 
there  was  such  a  number  of  trunks  and  boxes  ! 
I  wonder  who  it  can  be  !  " 

"  As  like  as  not  they  're  Boston  people," 


44  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

answered  Desire,  as  she  gave  a  fresh  impulse 
to  the  wheel  used  in  her  spinning.  "  You 
might  run  down  after  dinner,  Lois,  and  take 
that  piece  of  linen  wdiich  I  finished  last  night 
for  Mrs.  Burr.  I  'm  curious  to  know  if  it  is 
somebody  from  Boston.  We  may  get  the  news 
about  what 's  been  going  on  there  lately." 

Lois  stitched  away  faithfully  upon  the 
undergarment  which  she  was  making. 

"  Desire,  it  w^ould  n't  do  us  any  good  to  be 
rich  now,  would  it,  for  we  have  got  to  wear 
the  things  that  we  make  at  home,  have  n't 
we  ?     I  mean  everybody,  you  know." 

"  Lois,  if  we  were  rich,  I  'd  S23end  it  all  for 
the  sake  of  my  country.  I  don't  know  what 
our  soldiers  will  do,  unless  they  starve  to  death 
and  go  naked.  Grandfather  says  he  does  n't 
see  where  the  money  's  coming  from  to  pay 
anybody.  Even  soldiers  must  be  provided 
for  and  their  families  supported." 

"I  '11  finish  this  after  dinner.  Desire.  I  'd 
like  to  take  the  piece  of  cloth  down  to  Mrs. 
Burr  now."  The  child  turned  inquiringly  to 
her  sister. 

"  Yes,  I  think  it  will  be  proper  for  you  to 
go  now,  if  you  want  to.  Be  sure  to  see  Mrs. 
Burr  and  ask  if  they  've  heard  from  Boston 
within  a  few  days." 


'J. 

s. 


AARON  BUER  AND  DOROTHY  Q  45 

Desire  continued  at  her  task,  and  Lois  sped 
up  the  street  and  across  the  Green.  It  was 
twelve  o'clock  when  the  child  returned.  She 
was  out  of  breath,  having  come  hack  as  swiftly 
as  her  feet  would  carry  her,  and  she  was  laden 
with  news. 

"  It 's  Madam  Hancock  and  Miss  Dorothy 
Quincy  that  came  in  the  stage.  They  fled 
from  Boston,  you  know,  and  went  to  the 
minister's  at  Lexington  in  Mrs.  Hancock's 
own  coach.  Finally,  they  had  to  leave  there ; 
they  took  the  stage,  and  Colonel  Hancock  got 
a  part  of  their  clothes  for  them,  and  then  they 
came  on  here,  and  Mrs.  Burr  thinks  they  will 
stay  a  long  time.  I  saw  'em  both,  and  they 
kissed  me,  and  said  what  a  sweet,  brave  girl, 
for  I  told  them  that  you  and  I  wanted  to  go 
to  war ;  and  they  asked  all  about  you,  and 
want  you  to  come  and  see  them." 

The  child  stopped  to  take  breath,  while 
Grandfather  Hardy,  with  David,  entered  the 
kitchen. 

"  Why,  Lois,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  inquired 
the  old  gentleman.  "  Who  are  you  talking 
about  ?  " 

"  Madam  Hancock  has  come  in  the  stagfe 
to-day.  She  's  going  to  stay  down  at  Mr. 
Burr's.     She  was  left  all  alone  in  her  big 


46  AN   UNIZNOWN  PATRIOT 

house  in  Boston,  and  the  British  insulted  her 
and  threatened  to  burn  her  house  down,  so 
that  she  had  to  leave  everything  and  fairly 
run  for  dear  life.  She  says  you  never  saw 
such  excitement.  Her  nephew,  Colonel  Han- 
cock, has  had  a  price  put  on  his  head.  She 
says  there  are  dreadful  goings  on  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Boston.  And  Miss  Dorothy 
Quincy  's  there,  and  she  is  a  very  lovely 
young  lady.  I  am  going  to  see  her  real 
often,  for  she  invited  me." 

"  Well,  child,"  interrupted  David,  "  wdiat 
did  she  say  they  were  doing  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Boston  now?" 

"  Oh,  our  soldiers  are  there  and  thousands 
of  other  militia,  and  they  're  going  to  have  a 
fight  and  drive  the  British  out ;  but  Mrs. 
Hancock  is  afraid  they  '11  burn  down  the  town 
first,  and  she  does  love  her  beautiful  home. 
It 's  full  of  everything  lovely,  Miss  Quincy 
says,  and  it  is  such  a  pity  to  destroy  it.  But 
if  that  is  part  of  the  price  to  be  paid  for 
liberty,  Madam  Hancock  says  she  '11  pay  it 
gladly." 

It  was  a  most  hospitable  mansion  to  which 
these  ladies  fled.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thaddeus 
Burr  were  social  leaders  in  the  colony,  and 
lavish   entertainment  was  one  of  their  char- 


AAROX  BUEB  AND  DOROTHY  Q  ^1 

acteristics.  For  years  they  had  gathered 
under  their  roof  men  and  women  of  fame, 
culture,  and  standing,  many  people  of  social 
graces  and  intellectual  attractions.  John  Han- 
cock was  a  frequent  visitor,  one  of  Mr.  Burr's 
most  intimate  friends  and  trusted  counselors, 
and  Fairfield  seemed  to  him  an  ideal  retreat 
for  his  aunt  and  her  companion.  How  little 
did  the  venerable  lady  imagine  that  she  had 
looked  upon  Boston  for  the  last  time,  —  that 
these  feverish,  eventful  days  in  Fairfield  were 
destined  to  close  the  record  of  her  life. 

Desire  and  Lois  Hardy  paid  their  respects 
to  these  honored  guests  the  day  after  their 
arrival.  The  stately  courtesy  of  the  Boston 
madam  had  a  subtle  fascination  for  her 
young  admirers.  There  was  heart  in  her 
grace  and  affability,  so  that  she  won  the  two 
girls,  and  with  the  months  that  followed  they 
became  fast  friends. 

But  the  good  lady  had  a  diverting  task  in 
the  management  of  Miss  Dorothy  Quincy. 

"  David,  you  must  see  the  Boston  belle  !  " 
exclaimed  Desire,  on  her  return  from  Mr. 
Burr's.  "  She  asked  if  there  were  many 
young  gentlemen  in  town,  or  whether  they 
had  all  gone  to  the  war." 

"  I  don't  know  why  Miss  Quincy  should  be 


48  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

SO  anxious  for  male  society.  She  ought  to 
be  thinkinof  of  the  Hon.  John  Hancock. 
Mr.  Burr  told  me  they  were  engaged,  and 
his  Aunt  Lydia  is  trying  to  hurry  up  the  mar- 
riage, I  hear." 

"  You  must  have  good  ears,  David.  Why, 
she  has  n't  been  here  long  enough  to  show 
herself  to  our  townspeople,  and  I  don't  be- 
lieve they  've  talked  about  anything  but  the 
war  ever  since  they  came." 

"  Well,  Desire,  it  does  n't  look  well  for  a 
young  lady  engaged  to  be  married  to  be  on 
the  lookout  for  o^entlemen  to  flirt  with.  It  is 
setting  a  very  bad  example,"  answered  the 
virtuous  student  of  divinity.  "  But  then,  I  '11 
call  upon  Miss  Quincy,  and  see  that  she  has 
some  attention  from  our  sex." 

It  was  perhaps  a  week  later  that  David  and 
Desire  dropped  into  Mr.  Burr's  of  an  evening. 

A  great  hall  ran  through  the  centre  of 
the  mansion,  —  favorite  sitting-place  for  the 
family  and  their  guests.  The  front  and 
the  rear  doors  were  thrown  open,  so  that  the 
breeze  played  through  the  spacious  room, 
moonlight  falling  athwart  the  eastern  en- 
trance, a  distant  view  of  the  Sound  shimmer- 
ing through  the  foliage  of  the  trees  in  yard 
and  garden,  the  scent  of  roses  being  wafted 


AARON  BURR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  49 

on  the  air  with  an  occasional  intermixture  of 
salt  marsh  odors.  A  monstrous  lamp  with  a 
monstrous  globe  emitted  a  mild  Hght  in  the 
parlor,  which  opened  into  the  hall. 

There  were  two  or  three  groups  of  people 
in  the  long  apartment.  Near  the  front  door 
stood  Mr.  Burr,  Colonel  Silliman,  Mrs.  Jona- 
than Sturges  and  her  husband,  with  half  a 
dozen  others.  Several  elderly  ladies  were 
seated  near  the  entrance  to  the  parlor,  knit- 
ting. But  the  circle  which  David  and  Desire 
joined  was  one  that  had  gathered  around  the 
open  doorway  looking  upon  the  sea. 

Mrs.  Burr  led  the  latest  callers  to  this 
group.  A  gentleman  was  telling  Miss  Quincy 
why  he  liked  to  visit  Fairfield. 

"  You  know  this  is  the  home  of  my  ances- 
tors. Why,  half  the  people  I  meet  trace  their 
lineage  back  to  some  of  these  old  families. 
My  father  was  born  here,  in  the  Upper  Mead- 


ows. 


"  Born  here,  in  the  Upper  Meadows,"  re- 
peated Miss  Quincy  quizzically.  "  What  a 
strange  place  to  be  born  in ! "  A  merry  laugh 
followed. 

"  I  '11  ride  up  there  and  show  you  the 
place,"  said  the  young  man  good-naturedly. 

It  was  at  this  point  that  David  and  Desire 


60  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

were  added  to  the  company.  In  the  dim 
light  it  was  almost  impossible  to  distinguish 
one  person  from  another,  but  Miss  Quincy 
persisted  that  it  was  light  enough,  and  the 
moon  was  rising  higher  every  moment. 

"That  voice  sounds  like  Aaron  Burr!"  ex- 
claimed David,  as  the  speaker  ceased. 

"  Quite  right,  Hardy.  How  are  you,  these 
wild  times  of  war  ?  "  Young  Burr  arose  from 
his  chair,  greeting  David  and  his  sister,  whom 
he  had  known  from  childhood. 

"  We  are  busily  engaged  in  entertaining 
Miss  Quincy,  at  the  present,"  said  Desire 
lightly. 

"  What  a  charming  task  !  I  came  down 
from  Litchfield  to  help  you.  I  was  saying  to 
Miss  Quincy  that  nearly  everybody  I  meet 
comes  from  this  old  town,  or  his  father  and 
mother  do.  I  'm  going  to  show  her  where 
my  father  was  born,  in  the  Upper  Meadows. 
You  '11  ride  with  us  up  to  the  place,  won't 
you  ?  We  shall  be  delighted  to  have  your 
company.  And,  David,  you  come  along  to 
keep  us  in  the  path  of  sobriety  and  rectitude. 
Since  I  left  off  studying  for  the  ministry  and 
took  to  law,  I  feel  the  need  of  some  such 
oversight  as  David  will  exercise." 

Aaron    Burr    was    nineteen,    a  handsome, 


AAEON  BUBR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  51 

buoyant  fellow,  gay  as  a  lark,  thirsting  for 
adventure,  brilliant  in  speech,  and  most 
winning  in  manners,  —  the  beau  ideal  of  a 
gentleman.  When  he  went  to  Bethlehem  at 
seventeen  to  study  theology  with  old  Dr. 
Bellamy,  it  was  hoped  that  he  might  follow 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  honored  and  lamented 
father,  becoming  a  leader  among  the  parsons 
and  educators  of  the  colonies. 

''  I  could  n't  stand  it,  David,"  he  explained 
to  young  Hardy.  "  The  more  Dr.  Bellamy 
reasoned  with  me,  the  farther  away  I  got  from 
him  and  his  teachino*.  I  couldn't  be  an 
honest  man  and  preach  what  he  preaches. 
Then  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  was  n't  good 
enough  to  be  a  parson.  After  such  an  Aaron 
Burr  in  the  ministry  as  my  father,  do  you 
think  I  would  tarnish  the  name  and  the  office 
by  being  any  the  less  a  good,  grand  parson  ? 
So  I  'm  fated  to  be  a  lawyer.  But  we  did 
have  great  times  up  there  at  Bethlehem. 
The  doctor  seemed  to  think  I  was  overmuch 
fond  of  the  girls,  and  he  was  always  talking 
about  my  being  in  love.  Why,  he  had  a 
dinner  there  last  winter,  and  thirty  ministers 
sat  at  the  table,  and  I  furnished  the  staple 
for  the  doctor's  jokes  all  through  the  feast. 
Every   grain    of  spirit   in    me   was   kindled. 


52  AN   UNKNOWN  PATEIOT 

But  I  kept  my  temper  like  a  saint,  and  let 
him  have  his  fun." 

"  Well,  Aaron,  I  always  thought  you  were 
a  model  boy,  but  don't  drink  cherry  rum 
when  you  ride  with  the  girls  here,  as  you  say 
the  bucks  and  belles  of  Litchfield  County  do. 
It 's  a  bad  practice,  and  might  lead  to  harm." 

"  There,  I  told  you  I  needed  your  watch- 
care,  David.  Go  with  me  to  the  war.  Ogden 
and  I  have  decided  to  offer  ourselves  on  the 
altar  of  our  country.  Come  with  me  as  my 
chaplain.  I  may  get  into  the  company  of 
my  friend  Samuel  Spring.  He  's  a  sterling 
Christian  patriot.  But  there  will  be  room 
for  you,  and  plenty  of  hard  work  to  do,  I  '11 
warrant." 

It  was  only  a  brief  visit  that  Aaron  Burr 
made  at  his  cousin's,  but  it  was  long  enough 
to  divert  Miss  Quincy,  and  make  her  neglect- 
ful of  her  correspondence  with  the  Hon.  John 
Hancock.  There  were  w^alks  on  the  beach  and 
drives  back  into  the  hills  over  long  reaches 
of  country.  There  were  interminable  talks 
about  people  and  politics,  as  well  as  the  sweet 
trivialities  that  circulate  among  susceptible 
youth,  and  pass  for  the  wit  and  gallantry  of 
love-making". 

Desire  Hardy  was  quite  as  much  the  object 


AAEON  BURR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  53 

of  Burr's  attentions  as  Miss  Dorothy.  The 
two  young  ladies  had  become  deeply  interested 
in  each  other.  Desire  was  drawn  to  Miss 
Quincy  because  she  was  not  only  a  beautiful 
and  fascinating  creature,  but  a  belle  in  society, 
a  much-courted  lady,  one  conversant  with  the 
fashion  and  gossip  of  the  day,  the  fiancee 
of  John  Hancock,  the  wealthy  Boston  mer- 
chant, and  now  president  of  the  Continental 
Congress.  Acquaintance  with  her  opened  to 
Desire  a  vast  realm  of  aspiration. 

Dorothy  Quincy  liked  Desire  because  she 
found  her  intensely  alive  to  everything  that 
was  going  on  in  the  world,  —  one  of  the  sym- 
pathetic, quick-witted  girls  that  respond  easily 
and  naturally  to  every  chance  in  life,  a  com- 
panion with  a  dash  of  originality,  a  force  of 
invention  simply  irresistible.  Neither  man 
nor  w^oman  could  feel  solitary  or  downhearted 
in  the  presence  of  Desire  Hardy.  She  would 
adapt  herself  to  rich  and  poor  alike,  and  was 
quite  as  popular  with  humble  folk  as  with  the 
best-educated  and  most  refined  individual  in 
town. 

So  the  few  days  that  Aaron  Burr  stayed 
in  Fairfield  were  among  the  gayest  and  hap- 
piest of  the  season.  The  war  was  on,  and 
news  came  back  from  Boston  concerning  the 


54  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

doinjrs  of  redcoats  and  minute-men ;  but 
young  men  and  maidens,  howsoever  patriotic 
they  may  be,  still  remain  true  to  nature  and 
think  upon  the  gentler  ways  and  means  of  love. 

And  Aunt  Lydia  Hancock  was  watchful  of 
the  young  people.  While  she  might  be  won 
by  the  frank  homage  and  rollicking  humor 
of  young  Burr,  and  immensely  entertained  by 
the  fresh  charm  and  ingenuous  sprightliness 
of  Desire,  yet  she  exercised  a  wise,  constant 
surveillance  over  the  company,  careful  that 
no  harm  came  to  her  charge.  So  one  day  in 
late  June,  the  student  of  law  mounted  his 
horse  and  galloped  off  to  Litchfield. 

"  What  a  free-hearted,  merry  fellow  he  is ! " 
remarked  Desire  to  Miss  Quincy.  "  With  his 
gayety  and  youthful  enthusiasm,  there  is  a 
spirit  of  real  manliness  which  makes  him  in- 
finitely attractive." 

"  Yes,  he  is  a  delightful  young  gentleman," 
sighed  Miss  Dorothy.  "  Do  you  really  think 
he  will  go  to  the  war  ?  "  a  secret  hope  that 
perhaps  he  might  return  to  Fairfield  soon, 
rising^  unbidden  in  her  heart. 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  he  '11  go.  How  could  he  help 
it  ?  I  have  wished  a  thousand  times  that  I 
was  a  soldier,  so  that  I  could  go  too."  The 
young  ladies  were  sitting  on  the  front  porch 


AARON  BURR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  55 

at  Mr.  Burr's.  It  was  the  day  after  General 
Washington  had  passed  through  town  on  his 
way  to  Cambridge,  June  29th.  "  They  say 
that  our  Commander-in-chief  is  a  greater 
fighter  than  General  Putnam,  but  he  looks 
to  me  like  a  grand  gentleman." 

"  Gentleman  and  soldier  both,  I  think. 
What  a  noble  figure  he  makes  as  he  rides 
with  his  cavalcade  of  horsemen  !  " 

"  Ah  !  here  comes  Mr.  Burr,  and  he  's  got 
a  packet  in  his  hand.  Perhaps  it  is  a  letter 
for  you."  But  Miss  Dorothy  was  not  wishing 
for  letters.  She  had  received  several  from 
her  lover,  and  they  remained  unanswered. 

"  Did  I  show  you  my  new  stockings  which 
Mr.  Hancock  sent  me  from  Philadelphia? 
Come  with  me  upstairs." 

Another  moment  and  they  were  engaged 
in  looking  over  the  lovely  things  which  Dr. 
Church  had  brouo;ht  her  from  the  o^reat  trade 
emporium  of  Pennsylvania.  Spread  out  upon 
the  table  was  one  of  John  Hancock's  letters. 

"  Child,  read  it,"  said  the  fair  Dorothy, 
with  a  spice  of  mischief  in  her  manner. 
"  Mayhap  you  '11  wish  to  know  how  a  great 
lover  expresses  himself ;  "  and  she  pushed  the 
precise,  legible  writing  into  the  hand  of  the 
curious  girl.     Desire  read  as  follows  :  — 


66  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

My  Dr.  Dolly,  —  I  am  almost  prevail'd 
on  to  think  that  my  letters  to  my  Aunt  & 
you  are  not  read,  for  I  cannot  obtain  a  re- 
ply, I  have  ask'd  a  million  questions  &  not 
an  answer  to  one,  I  beg'd  you  to  let  me  know 
what  things  my  Aunt  wanted  &  you,  &  many 
other  matters  I  wanted  to  know,  but  not  one 
word  in  answer.  I  Really  Take  it  extreme 
unkind,  pray  my  Dr.  use  not  so  much  Cere- 
mony &  Reservedness,  why  can't  you  use 
freedom  in  writing,  be  not  afraid  of  me,  I 
want  long  Letters.  I  am  glad  the  little 
things  I  sent  you  are  agreeable.  Why  did 
you  not  write  me  of  the  top  of  the  Umbrella. 
I  am  so  sorry  it  was  spoiled,  but  I  will  send 
you  another  by  my  Express  wch  will  go  in  a 
few  days.  How  did  my  Aunt  like  her  gown 
&  do  let  me  know  if  the  Stockings  suited  her ; 
she  had  better  send  a  pattern  shoe  &  stock- 
ing, I  warrant  I  will  suit  her.  The  Inclos'd 
letter  for  your  Father  you  will  read  &  seal  & 
forward  him,  you  will  observe  I  mention  in  it 
your  writing  your  Sister  Katy  about  a  few 
necessaries  for  Katy  Sewall,  what  you  think 
Right  let  her  have  &  Roy  James,  this  only 
between  you  &  I ;  do  write  your  Father  I 
should  be  glad  to  hear  from  him  &  I  Beg, 
my  Dear  Dolly  you  will  write  me  often  &  long 


JOHX  HAN'COCK 


AAEON  BURR  AND  DOROTHY  Q  57 

Letters,  I  will  forgive  the  past  if  you  will 
mend  in  future.  Do  ask  my  Aunt  to  make 
me  up  &  send  me  a  Watch  String,  &  do  you 
make  up  another  &  send  me,  I  wear  them 
out  fast.  I  want  some  Httle  thing  of  your 
doing. 

Remember  to  all  Friends  with  you  as  if 
nam'd.     I  am  call'd  upon  &  must  obey. 

I  have  sent  you  by  Doer  Church  in  a  paper 
Box  Directed  to  you,  the  following  things  for 
your  acceptance,  &  which  I  do  insist  you 
wear,  if  you  do  not  I  shall  think  the  Donor  is 
the  objection  :  — 

2  pair  white  silk 
4  pr.  white  thread 
1  pr.  Black  Satin 
1  p.  Black  Calem  Co.  . 

1  very  pretty  light  Hat 

1  neat  Airy  Summer  Cloak.     (I  ask  Doer.  Church) 

2  caps 
1  Fann 

I  wish  these  may  please  you,  I  shall  be 
gratified  if  they  do,  pray  write  me,  I  will 
attend  to  all  your  Commands. 

Adieu  my  Dr.  Girl,  &  believe  me  to  be 
with  great  Esteem  &  Affection, 

Yours  without  Reserve 

John  Haxcock. 
Remember  me  to  Katy  Brackett. 


stockings  which 
I  think  will  fit  you 
shoes,  the  other 
Shall  be  sent  when  done. 


58  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  They  are  beautiful,"  said  Desire,  drop- 
ping the  letter  upon  the  table  and  taking  the 
exquisite  hosiery  into  her  hands.  "  And  Mrs. 
Burr  herself  never  wore  a  lovelier  hat.  and 
the  fan,  —  it  is  like  a  dream.  I  think  Mr. 
Hancock  will  make  a  very  domestic  man." 

"  Yes,"  answered  Miss  Dorothy  Quincy, 
with  the  slightest  suggestion  of  impatience 
in  her  words,  "  I  've  no  doubt  he  '11  prove  a 
thoroughly  domestic  person." 


CHAPTER  V 

TWIN    COUSINS 

Governor  Tryon  sailed  for  England  on 
April  7th,  1774,  and  remained  away  from 
his  province  nearly  fifteen  months.  General 
Washington  passed  through  New  York  city 
on  his  way  to  Cambridge  the  afternoon  of 
June  28th,  1775.  That  very  evening  Gov- 
ernor Tryon  returned  to  his  provincial  capital 
and  resumed  his  governmental  functions. 

It  was  an  odd  coincidence  that  these  two 
men  should  appear  in  town  on  the  same  day, 
and  there  was  much  anxiety  on  the  part  of 
many  citizens  in  respect  to  a  possible  disturb- 
ance. 

"I'm  not  a  nervous  man,  you  know,"  ob- 
served Duane  Livingstone  to  David  Hardy, 
"  but  I  had  a  feeling  that  we  might  see  lively 
times  before  midnight." 

The  cousins  were  promenading  up  and 
down  the  Battery,  engaged  in  serious  talk, 
although  Duane  was  not  so  deeply  involved 
in  the  conversation  that  he  failed  to  notice 


60  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

every  bright  face  that  met  them,  now  and 
ao^ain  doffino^  his  hat  and  making*  his  most 
respectful  salutation  to  several  gayly  dressed 
ladies  that  had  come  out  to  enjoy  the  sea 
breeze  and  the  gossip. 

"  How  did  it  turn  out  ?  "  inquired  David. 

"  Oh,  General  Washington  was  greeted  by 
our  citizens  in  the  daytime  and  given  quite  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  sent  on  his  way  east  with 
more  or  less  good  wishes;  while  Governor 
Tryon  was  welcomed  at  night  and  presented 
with  congratulatory  addresses,  and  the  city 
was  jubilant  over  his  coming." 

"  A  sort  of  double-faced  people,  you  New 
Yorkers  seem  to  be,"  exclaimed  the  divinity 
student. 

"  That 's  a  mean  thing  to  say,  and  it  is  n't 
true.  There  are  citizens  that  side  with  the 
mother  country,  and  those  that  side  with  the 
colonies.  I  suppose  the  men  that  wish  to 
fight  the  British  army  greeted  Washington, 
and  the  men  that  don't  were  just  as  glad,  if 
not  more  so,  to  see  Governor  Tryon  again." 

^'  Probably  you  hurried  to  pay  your  re- 
spects to  '  The  Great  Wolf.'  " 

David's  tone  and  language  expressed  dis- 
approval, although  he  was  too  mild  a  fellow, 
with  too  much  manliness  and  generosity,  to 
make  hurtful  speeches. 


TWIN  COUSINS  61 

"  My  dear  cousin,  you  thought  you  'd  give 
me  a  hard  thrust  then,  did  n't  you  ?  But 
bless  my  soul,  it  takes  a  man  of  a  temper 
very  different  from  yours  to  ruffle  me.  Of 
course  I  paid  him  my  respects.  Why  not  ? 
Have  n't  I  known  the  family  for  years,  and 
visited  them  in  England  and  North  Carolina, 
to  say  nothing  about  New  York  ?  Why 
should  I  treat  Governor  Tryon  otherwise  than 
as  a  gentleman?  " 

"  Because  he  has  n't  the  instincts  of  a  gen- 
tleman in  him,  and  is  as  hard,  inhuman,  and 
malicious  as  the  Evil  One  himself." 

David  spoke  with  intensity.  He  was  not 
one  to  mince  words  when  thoroughly  aroused. 
He  had  a  good  command  of  forcible  speech. 
In  these  days  of  hot  political  agitation,  he 
had  thrown  one  side  his  native  reserve  and 
subdued  manners,  taking  a  firm,  bold  stand 
for  liberty. 

"  That  is  your  opinion,  my  young  Puritan, 
but  if  he  is  any  harder  or  more  inhuman  than 
those  old  fanatics  that  hung  our  ancestress, 
Anne  Hardy,  or  if  he  has  shown  half  the 
malice  and  downright  cruelty  that  a  good 
many  of  them  showed,  I  T\4sh  you  'd  en- 
lighten me.  David,  the  trouble  with  you  is 
that  you  're   provincial  and    narrow-minded. 


62  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

You  're  like  your  forbears.  I  don't  sup- 
pose you  can  help  it.  You  require  change 
of  atmosphere  and  associations.  I  thought 
that  four  years  in  King's  College  would  do 
something  for  you,  and  it  has  ;  but  you  still 
need  the  broadenino-  influences  of  a  life  be- 
yond  the  confines  of  rigid,  democratic  Con- 
necticut. We  must  tahe  you  across  the  sea 
on  one  of  our  ships,  and  give  you  a  chance  to 
see  the  world  and  get  loose  from  the  leading- 
strings  of  your  pro^dncialism." 

"  Duane,  you  're  talking  arrant  nonsense, 
and  you  know  it.  There  are  people  in  New 
York,  and  a  good  many  of  them,  too,  your 
own  family  among  them,  that  feel  exactly  as 
I  do  concerning  Try  on,  the  awful  injustice  of 
the  mother  country,  and  the  stern  demand 
for  the  redress  of  our  wrongs.  How  a  young 
man  of  your  parts,  holding  the  position  you 
do,  and  trained  as  you  have  been,  can  have 
the  stomach  to  talk  as  you  are  talking  passes 
my  comprehension.  The  next  thing  will  be 
your  enlistment  in  the  royal  army,  probably." 

"  Why,  David,  I  never  knew  you  to  get 
so  excited.  You  don't  seem  like  yourself. 
I  believe  you  're  going  daft  on  the  subject 
of  armed  resistance  to  our  mother  country. 
Let 's  change   the   subject."     There   was   a 


TWIN  COUSINS  63 

moment's  pause  to  note  the  proud  bearing  of 
an  Enoiish  man-of-war  as  she  moved  around 
Battery  Point  and  pushed  her  way  into  the 
North  River.  Then  Duane  continued,  "  So 
Aaron  Burr  has  been  in  Fairfiekl  again,  has 
he  ?  I  met  him  here  in  the  winter.  What  a 
roUicking  buck  he  is  1  and  immensely  popular 
with  the  girls.  He  has  n't  given  up  the  law, 
has  he,  as  he  did  the  preaching  ?  I  have 
thought  that  maybe  he  was  unstable.  Such 
gay  fellows  often  are." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  he  has  given  up 
the  law  or  not,  but  I  know  that  he  is  going 
to  enlist  and  start  for  Boston  in  a  few  days. 
I  like  him,  for  he  's  a  patriot,  and  he's  got  the 
courage  of  a  lion.  Desire  said  everything  she 
could  to  encouraofe  him  in  it." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  he  's  been 
makinof  love  to  Desire  ?  "  Duane  was  now 
quick  and  spirited  in  manner,  while  a  slight 
flush  was  perceptible  on  his  cheek,  as  he 
turned  keen,  sharp  eyes  toward  his  cousin. 
"  Burr  is  good-looking  enough,  and  he  has 
an  amorous,  taking  way  with  him,  but  I 
can't  see  why  the  girls  find  him  so  seductive 
and  fascinating.  How  long  did  he  stay  in 
Fairfield?  " 

"  Only  a  few  days,  but  he  knows  how  to 


64  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

make  hay  while  the  sun  shines.  You  ought 
to  have  seen  him  with  Miss  Dorothy  Quincy. 
She 's  visiting  Thaddeus  Burr's  with  Mrs. 
Thomas  Hancock.  She  's  engaged  to  marry 
Colonel  John  Hancock,  the  nephew,  you  know, 
and  I  think  Aunt  Lydia,  as  she  calls  her, 
didn't  have  a  comfortable  hour  while  Burr 
was  in  town,  although  she  managed  so  that 
they  were  never  alone  for  a  moment.  Desire, 
or  the  minister,  Mr.  Eliot,  an  old  friend  of 
Miss  Quincy's,  or  some  of  the  Sturgeses,  or 
others  were  with  them  all  the  time.  I  think 
Miss  Quincy  was  charmed  with  Burr,  and  so 
is  Desire.  She  says  he  's  the  perfection  of 
a  gentleman,  and  so  entertaining.  Well,  he 
is  Hvely  company.  You  know  how  the  hogs 
run  loose  in  our  streets  sometimes.  One  day 
we  were  all  down  at  the  Burrs',  and  Lois  was 
with  us,  and  she  had  on  a  clean  white  dress. 
Burr  was  always  hectoring  and  teasing  Lois, 
and  she  was  silly  enough  to  stick  to  him. 
One  of  these  tame  hogs  came  waddling  along, 
and  Burr  said  to  Lois,  '  I  '11  give  you  a  sov- 
ereign, child,  if  you  '11  ride  that  piece  of  live 
pork  from  here  to  the  Green,'  and  he  pulled 
a  shining  sovereign  from  his  pocket.  You 
know  he  's  got  money,  and  he  really  is  very 
free  with  it.     Lois  never  waited  a  moment. 


TWIN  COUSINS  66 

She  leaped  upon  the  hog's  back  before 
Miss  Dorothy,  or  Desire,  or  any  of  us  had 
a  chance  to  say  a  word,  and  off  went  the 
creature  with  all  his  might  and  main.  I  ex- 
pected to  see  the  child  thrown  from  his  back 
and  trampled  under  foot;  but  she  laid  hold 
of  his  ears,  and  hung  on  like  grim  death. 
The  creature  squealed  and  waddled,  and  wad- 
dled and  squealed,  while  Lois  swayed  from 
one  side  to  the  other  like  a  ship  heaving  after 
a  storm.  We  ran  up  the  street  to  save  the 
child  from  this  madcap  performance,  but 
Burr  was  ahead  of  us ;  and  when  we  reached 
the  Green,  Lois  had  slipped  from  the  crea- 
ture's back  and  had  her  sovereign  in  her 
hand,  while  Burr  was  shaking  with  laughter, 
telling  what  a  brave  girl  she  was,  and  paying 
all  sorts  of  flattering  compliments  to  her. 
Lois's  dress  was  a  sight  to  behold,  but  she 
had  won  her  money  and  come  out  unharmed, 
and  she  was  off  home  before  we  had  time 
to  say  a  word.  Burr  reveled  in  the  telling 
of  it "  — 

"  Well,  I  think  such  a  thing  is  disgrace- 
ful," interrupted  Mr.  Duane  Livingstone. 
"  What  did  grandfather  say  ?  " 

"  If  he  'd  seen  her  with  her  besmirched 
dress,  I  think  he  'd  have  given  the  child  a 


Q6  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

dressing-down  not  soon  to  be  forgotten,  for 
she  is  full  of  capers,  and  tries  our  patience 
almost  beyond  endurance ;  but  Lois  showed 
him  the  sovereign,  and  told  him  in  her  own 
inimitable  way  how  she  had  earned  it,  so  that 
he  was  made  to  feel  she  had  done  rather  a 
smart  thing.  He  winked  at  the  caper,  and 
solemnly  shook  his  head,  and  told  her  she 
must  n't  ride  any  more  hogs." 

As  the  young  men  continued  their  w^alk 
and  conversation,  it  was  evident  that  they 
excited  more  than  a  passing  interest. 

"  David,"  exclaimed  Duane  suddenly,  as 
he  noticed  how  much  attention  w^as  paid 
them,  "  I  believe  we  grow  to  look  alike. 
It  never  struck  me  so  forcibly  before.  I 
declare,  now  that  we  happen  to  be  dressed 
in  the  same  sort  of  clothes,  we  appear  like 
twins."  And  as  he  spoke,  the  two  young 
men  gazed  at  each  other  with  lively  concern, 
for  it  was  true  that  they  were  as  near  alike 
as  two  peas  in  a  pod.  "  You  've  become 
a  mighty  handsome  fellow,  David."  The 
country  cousin  smiled. 

"  That 's  a  kind  of  back-handed  way  to 
boast  about  your  own  good  looks,  is  n't  it?  " 
David's  eyes  twinkled  merrily. 

"  Take  it  as  you  please,"  laughed  Duane. 


TWIN   COUSINS  67 

"  I  don't  think  I  '11  urge  you  to  stay  long  in 
town  hereafter  when  you  come  down  to  visit 
us.  Folks  will  get  you  and  me  mixed.  They 
won't  know  '  which  from  t'  other.'  Perhaps 
I  'd  better  stop  sending  my  clothes  to  Fair- 
field. Our  dressing  alike  may  complicate 
matters.  You  '11  be  making  love  to  some  one 
of  my  girls,  and  she  '11  think  it 's  I." 

The  boys  were  now  in  a  jestful  mood. 

"  Duane,  if  you  don't  give  me  your  old 
clothes,  I  shall  have  to  go  stark  naked.  These 
are  hard  times,  and  the  war  makes  us  poorer 
than  ever." 

During  all  these  years  when  the  Living- 
stones had  helped  David  Hardy,  there  had 
never  been  a  thought  or  feeling  of  envy  or 
condescension  between  the  cousins.  Duane 
was  glad  to  give,  and  David  quite  as  glad  to 
receive.  Although  they  were  divided  by  four 
years,  yet  they  had  always  cherished  a  hearty 
affection  for  each  other.  The  trend  of  politi- 
cal events  was  the  first  occasion  of  serious 
disagreement.  But  underneath  any  expres- 
sion of  present  hostility  there  throbbed  a 
deep,  genuine  spirit  of  brotherliness. 

"  I  'm  of-oiniT  back  to  Fairfield  with  Sam 
Smedley,"  observed  David,  taking  a  new  tack 
in  the  conversation.     "  Come  up  and  spend  a 


68  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

few  days  with  us.  I  'd  like  to  have  you  meet 
Miss  Quincy,  for  she  's  very  fond  of  society, 
and  we  don't  want  her  to  get  lonesome.  Sam 
Smedley  is  a  great  sailor,  and  very  much  of  a 
man,  too.  You  ought  to  hear  him  talk  about 
the  war.  He  's  looking  for  a  chance  to  ship 
on  some  privateer.  I  tell  you  he  is  bound  to 
stir  up  the  enemy  when  he  gets  a  chance." 

"  David,  your  mind  is  too  much  on  war  for 
a  man  of  peace.  I  advise  you  to  read  more 
theology  and  less  poHtics.  Is  Miss  Quincy 
as  hot-headed  on  the  subject  as  you  are  ? 
Because  if  she  is,  we  might  come  to  hard 
words."  And  so  the  conversation  ran  along 
in  various  channels. 

Two  days  passed,  and  when  Da^^d  Hardy 
had  finished  the  business  which  brought  him 
to  New  York,  he  returned  home  in  the  com- 
pany of  young  Smedley  and  his  cousin  Duane. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE     PRESIDENT    OF    THE    CONTINEXTAL    CON- 
GRESS   CELEBRATES    HIS    NUPTIALS 

The  summer  of  1775  was  a  season  of  tense 
life  in  Fairfield.  The  soldiers,  patriots,  theo- 
rists, politicians,  —  representative  men  of 
western  Connecticut,  —  held  frequent  con- 
clave at  the  county  seat.  Early  in  the  sum- 
mer. Gold  Selleck  Silliman  was  appointed 
colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  of  mihtia. 
Governor  Trumbull  had  written  to  General 
Gage  asking  for  an  explanation  of  the  course 
which  he  was  pursuing  in  Boston.  Thaddeus 
Burr  and  Jonathan  Sturges  took  counsel  with 
the  governor  in  respect  to  the  condition  of 
the  shore  towns  and  the  necessity  for  their 
protection.  The  sea-dogs  of  the  colony  were 
invited  to  play  the  watch  over  the  enemy 
along  the  Sound,  and  encouraged  to  do  any 
handy  job  of  privateering  that  came  in  their 
way.  The  train-bands  drilled  on  the  Green 
day  after  day,  getting  themselves  into  good 
trim  for  the  hour  of  need. 


70  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  male  population  of  the  colony  in  1775, 
between  the  age  limits  of  sixteen  and  fifty 
years,  subject  to  military  duty,  was  about 
twenty-six  thousand.  Perhaps  two  thousand 
of  them  w^ere  disaffected  toward  the  service, 
sympathizing  with  the  royalists.  Fairfield 
had  its  Tory  element,  the  Rev.  John  Sayre, 
rector  of  Trinity  Church,  being  one  of  the 
most  conspicuous  figures,  around  whom  ralHed 
the  major  part  of  his  parishioners. 

John  Adams  spoke  the  truth  when  he  said 
that  Connecticut  was  doing  everything  that 
could  be  done  by  her  men,  both  for  Boston 
and  New  York.  All  sorts  of  supplies  were 
prepared  and  forwarded  to  the  Continental 
soldiers.  A  full  quota  of  militia  took  to  the 
field.  Whatever  form  of  assistance  was  de- 
manded on  any  side,  Connecticut  did  even 
more  than  her  part.  The  enthusiasm  of  lib- 
erty had  swept  over  the  colony,  nerving  her 
people  to  the  most  strenuous  action. 

Yet  domestic  life  and  the  social  amenities 
were  not  neglected.  It  was  a  gay  season  in 
Fairfield,  despite  the  fever  of  war  and  the 
hurly-burly  of  politics,  for  Miss  Dorothy 
Quincy  was  a  luminary  which  shone  with  no 
uncertain  radiance,  and  she  had  various  satel- 
lites basking  in  her  light,  reflecting  something 
of  her  own  glory. 


JOBN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  71 

There  was  hardly  a  family  or  dignitary  of 
eminence  in  the  colony  that  did  not  take  the 
pains  to  render  proper  homage  to  the  fiancee 
of  his  Excellency  John  Hancock,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Continental  Congress.  So  it  was  a 
round  of  modest  yet  lively  festivities,  amid  all 
the  strain  and  turmoil  of  the  growing  conflict. 

"  It  seems  almost  wicked  for  one  to  have 
such  a  good  time,"  remarked  Desire  to  Miss 
Quincy,  one  perfect  evening  in  early  Sep- 
tember. "But  it  is  delightful  to  have  you 
with  us  these  months  ;  the  summer  has  come 
and  gone  with  the  speed  of  a  bird  shooting 
through  the  air." 

There  had  been  a  rapid  succession  of 
walks  and  drives,  little  boating  parties,  even- 
ing companies,  now  and  then  a  jaunt  to 
New  Haven  or  some  other  near-by  town,  and 
the  thousand  trivial  gayeties  that  made  up 
the  round  of  mild  dissipation  in  colonial  so- 
ciety. 

"  Now  the  autumn  has  come,  and  soon  you 
will  leave  Fairfield  and  return  to  the  fas- 
cinations of  high  life."  Desire  spoke  in  a 
sweet,  sad,  minor  tone  of  regret. 

"  But  I  shall  never  forget  these  happy 
months  of  freedom,"  replied  Miss  Quincy. 
'^  I  have  reveled  in  all  the  sweets  of  friend- 


72  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

ship,  and  grown  to  love  this  old  town  and  its 
people  with  a  strange  passion." 

"  I  suppose  it  will  be  especially  dear  to 
you,  too,  for  the  reason  that  you  are  married 
here  ?  "  Desire  looked  inquisitively  into  the 
face  of  her  companion. 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,  although  it  is  hard  to  be 
driven  from  home  when  one  is  preparing  for 
one's  wedding.  But  Mr.  Hancock  has  been 
very  kind  and  obliging,  sending  me  every- 
thing in  the  world  that  I  need,  buying  silks, 
satins,  laces,  linen,  and  a  thousand  necessaries 
with  the  taste  and  judgment  of  the  shrewdest 
woman  in  the  world.  And  then  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Burr  have  acted  like  my  own  kith  and 
kin,  putting  their  whole  establishment  at  my 
service,  entering  into  the  spirit  of  the  occa- 
sion almost  like  my  own  parents." 

The  fair  Dorothy  was  immersed  in  dry 
goods  as  she  spoke.  All  the  dressmakers  in 
town  were  at  her  service,  the  house  of  her 
host  being  converted  into  a  huge  shop  filled  to 
the  full  with  these  workers  and  their  fabrics. 
For  the  wedding  was  to  come  off  the  latter 
part  of  the  month,  and  the  women  w^ere  strain- 
ing every  nerve  to  have  the  lady  decked  out 
according  to  the  latest  mode. 

How  those  last  days  hastened  !     Invitations 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  73 

in  the  name  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thaddeus  Burr 
went  hither  and  yon.  The  mansion  was  be- 
comingly adorned  after  the  Boston  style. 
The  trousseau  was  finished,  —  a  most  elegant 
outfit,  worthy  the  lady  for  whom  it  was  pre- 
pared and  the  bridegroom  who  had  taken 
such  an  unusual  part  in  selecting  it.  Then 
came  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  September. 

It  was  a  o^ala  occasion  for  the  town.  War 
may  sound  its  tocsin,  yet  people  will  marry 
and  orive  in  marriaofe.  Men  will  toil  and  moil 
with  dumb  persistence,  and  turn  on  the  in- 
stant with  bounding  heart  and  beaming  eyes 
at  the  bidding  of  Hymen.  The  fret,  weari- 
ness, uncertainties  of  strife,  may  dog  our  steps, 
but  no  sooner  do  we  catch  sight  of  Love  than 
all  else  is  forgotten  and  we  yield  ourselves  to 
its  intoxication.  Boston  may  suffer  the  pangs 
of  starvation  and  the  encroachments  of  her 
enemies.  New  York  blow  hot  and  cold  be- 
tween patriot  and  royalist,  the  unprotected 
colonies  alono;  the  coast  invite  the  onslauo;ht 
of  British  tars ;  nevertheless,  it  is  quite  the 
fitting  and  timely  thing  for  the  President 
of  the  Continental  ConoTess  to  turn  one  side 
from  the  stress  of  public  duty,  the  strain  of 
private  care,  and  take  unto  himself  a  wife. 
She  will  cheer  and  comfort  him  in  his  need. 


74  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

She  will  brace  him  for  the  great  struggle 
which  must  be  wao^ed.  She  will  animate  him 
with  fresh  spirit  and  enthusiasm. 

It  was  a  famous  company  that  gathered  for 
the  nuptials  of  this  highly  favored  pair. 

"  You  ought  to  have  seen  them  when  they 
arrived  from  Philadelphia,"  cried  Lois,  who 
noted  every  detail  of  the  important  affair, 
and  counted  it  as  one  of  the  brightest  days  in 
her  Hfe.  "  There  was  Mr.  Hancock's  great 
coach  in  all  its  fresh,  fresh  "  —  she  hesitated 
for  the  right  word  — "  grandeur,  and  four 
beautiful,  prancing  horses ;  and  there  were 
some  other  coaches  filled  with  people ;  and 
there  were  many  men  on  their  gallant  steeds, 
making  a  fine  show  in  their  gay  colors.  Oh, 
it  was  glorious  !  "  The  child  was  describing 
the  scene  to  her  grandfather.  "  And  I  've 
seen  I  don't  know  how  many  people  that  have 
come  down  from  Boston  way;  and  Governor 
Trumbull 's  here  and  some  men  from  Hart- 
ford. Why,  the  town  looks  like  training- 
day,  and  everybody  is  dressed  in  such  beauti- 
ful clothes." 

The  day  was  dreamy  and  poetic,  for  a  soft 
haze  hung  above  the  landscape  and  sifted  the 
lazy  sunshine  down  gently  upon  the  blithe, 
brilliant  company. 


< 


^ 

■^ 


JOHN  HANCOCICS  NUPTIALS  75 

They  were  married  in  the  great  parlor  of 
the  mansion,  and  the  Rev.  Andrew  Eliot,  Jr., 
old-time  friend  of  the  Quincy  and  the  Han- 
cock families,  performed  the  simple,  brief 
ceremony. 

"  Well,  it 's  next  to  being  in  Boston  to 
have  a  Boston  parson  officiate  on  this  occa- 
sion," observed  Mr.  Adams. 

"  And  I  warrant  you  that  we  shall  enjoy  a 
richer  feast  than  any  bridal  party  in  Boston 
for  many  a  month,"  said  Governor  Trumbull. 

"  Oh,  Desire,"  whisjDered  Lois,  who  had 
been  smuggled  into  the  house  by  special 
request  of  the  bride,  and  placed  where  she 
commanded  a  large  sweep  of  vision  over  the 
guests,  "  did  you  ever  see  anything  so  fine  ? 
There  are  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 
That  lady  in  the  corner  must  have  made 
her  gown  out  of  blue  sky.  Oh,  how  lovely  ! 
And  look  at  Madam  Hancock  in  her  stiff 
purple  satin  !  Is  n't  Mrs.  Burr  magnificent 
in  velvet  and  lace  ?  She  seems  like  a  queen. 
And  who  is  that  woman  with  the  wonderful 
gown  of  pink,  and  her  head  sprinkled  with 
diamond  dust,  and  her  breast  sparkling  with 
gems  ?  And  oh,  Desire,  do  see  what  gloves 
the  ladies  wear,  and  the  ruffies  and  scarfs 
and  ribbons  and  chains  and  jewelry  !     Is  n't 


76  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

it  the  brightest,  splendidest  scene  you  ever 
saw?  Why,  I  see  sunsets  and  flowers  and 
the  bhie  sea  and  the  green  meadows  and  the 
gray  of  the  clouds  and  a  hundred  other 
colors  in  the  people's  clothes.  The  men  are 
quite  as  shining  and  glorious  as  the  ladies,  I 
think.  Look  at  their  red  and  blue  and  yel- 
low vests.  And  how  beautiful  are  their  small- 
clothes !  Oh,  the  stockings,  the  buckles,  the 
white  ruffles  and  old  lace,  the  elegant,  many- 
hued  coats !  Some  of  the  gentlemen  have 
such  big  wigs,  with  such  big  bows  behind, 
and  see,  a  good  many  don't  wear  wigs,  but 
have  their  hair  tied  up  in  a  queue,  with  a  big- 
ger ribbon  and  "  — 

"  Lois,  Lois,"  whispered  Desire,  "  folks  will 
hear  you,  and  they  '11  think  we  've  never  been 
anywhere  before.     You  must  be  quiet." 

"  Oh,  Desire,  it  is  like  heaven,  I  think.  I 
feel  as  if  I  was  reading  in  the  book  of  Reve- 
lation. And  what  a  regal  gentleman  Mr. 
John  Hancock  is  !  How  much  do  you  suppose 
his  clothes  cost?  I'd  like  to  ask  Dorothy 
Quincy." 

"  It  is  n't  Miss  Dorothy  Quincy  any  more, 
Lois,  remember.  She  is  Mrs.  John  Han- 
cock now." 

This    whispered    conversation   was   taking 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  77 

place  while  the  congratulations  were  being  said 
and  the  company  was  waiting  for  the  feast. 

"  A  very  pretty  show,  my  dears,  is  n't  it  ?  " 
It  was  Duane  Livingstone  speaking  in  sub- 
dued voice  to  Lois  and  Desire ;  "  but  I  've 
seen  many  a  brighter  one." 

This  remark  was  received  by  the  younger 
of  the  sisters  with  incredulity.  It  did  not 
seem  possible  to  Lois  that  anything  in  all  the 
world  could  be  more  brilliantly  attractive  and 
elegant.  Desire  listened  to  the  young  gentle- 
man's whispered  comment  philosophically,  and 
then  answered  :  — 

"  I  suppose  you  refer  to  some  social  func- 
tion held  by  your  friend,  Governor  Tryon,  in 
the  Government  House  ?  " 

There  was  mischief  in  the  answer ;  for  De- 
sire had  learned  to  despise  the  courtly  repre- 
sentative of  the  crown  in  New  York,  although 
Mrs.  Thaddeus  Burr  had  assured  her  he  was 
a  gentleman  of  good  presence  and  pleasing 
manners,  and  had  made  himself  very  agreeable 
when  she  met  him  in  Hartford  at  Governor 
Trumbull's,  in  Fairfield  as  her  own  guest,  and 
in  New  York  when  he  was  host  at  an  evenino: 
party. 

"David  has  prejudiced  you,"  said  the 
cousin. 


78  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  Well,  there  is  Mr.  Sam  Smedley ;  let  us 
ask  him,  since  he 's  running  up  and  down  the 
Sound  and  knows  about  everybody  along- 
shore and  in  the  city." 

The  bronzed  young  sailor  named  ap- 
proached the  little  group. 

"  We  were  saying  that  Governor  Tryon  is 
a  fine  example  of  the  old  English  gentle- 
man. You  agree  with  us,  do  you  not,  Mr. 
Smedley  ?  " 

Desire  spoke  with  a  demureuess  and  repose 
infinitely  charming,  although  a  telltale  flash 
in  her  eyes  might  have  warned  the  observer 
that  smouldering  fire  lay  hid  beneath  the 
sweet,  calm  exterior. 

"  Who  was  saying  it  ?  "  The  man  of  the 
sea  spoke  with  gruffness.  "  Not  you,  Miss 
Desire,  I  warrant  me." 

"  Come,  come,"  interrupted  David  Hardy, 
as  he  pushed  his  way  to  them.  "  All  the 
belles  and  bucks  are  drinking  to  the  health  of 
the  bride.     Let 's  away  and  share  the  jollity." 

"  That  sounds  like  a  divinity  student, 
does  n't  it  ?  "  cried  Duane. 

"  It  is  n't  original  with  my  brother,"  ob- 
served Desire.  "  That 's  the  way  Aaron  Burr 
talks.  '  Bucks  and  belles '  is  one  of  his  favor- 
ite phrases.     David  has  become  hilarious  on 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  79 

this  great  occasion,  and  he  has  fallen  into  the 
form  of  speech  peculiar  to  a  very  worldly 
companion."  Desire  was  brimful  of  fun  and 
mirth,  for  here  were  several  young  gentlemen 
waiting  upon  her,  and  she  could  see  that 
others  were  edging  their  way  in  her  direction 
and  must  inevitably  join  the  group. 

They  all  moved  into  the  current  that  had 
set  toward  the  refreshment  tables,  and  soon 
the  contagious  good  cheer  had  raised  them  to 
such  a  pitch  of  liveliness  that  they  made  for 
the  lawn,  where  they  might  find  ample  space 
for  the  exercise  of  their  merry  hearts  and  glad 
voices. 

Lois,  meanwhile,  flitted  from  room  to  room, 
or  from  group  to  group,  sipping  the  sweets  of 
gossip  and  jovial  fellowship,  as  caprice  dic- 
tated, observing  every  feature  of  the  kalei- 
doscopic pageant,  talking  with  the  numerous 
servants  that  vied  in  their  eager  wishes  to 
make  all  happy,  taking  the  opportunity  more 
than  once  to  dash  into  the  crowd  of  inter- 
ested spectators  that  thronged  the  street,  in 
order  that  she  might  explain  something  to  a 
mate  or  friend  whom  she  spied,  or  distribute 
S^oodies  from  the  weddino-  feast. 

The  honorable  President  of  the  Continental 
Congress  bore  himself  with  remarkable  suavity. 


80  AN   UNKNOWN  PATEIOT 

A  very  dignified  gentleman,  punctilious  and  a 
stickler  for  the  proprieties,  on  this  red-letter 
day  he  unbent  and  beamed  and  rejoiced  with 
a  luxury  of  abandon  that  startled  his  old 
friends.  And  well  he  might  for  once  give 
way  to  such  jocund  impulses,  for  he  was  now 
wedded  to  the  lady  of  his  choice,  and  all  peril 
of  break  or  disaster  had  passed. 

Miss  Quincy  was  a  person  of  such  charms 
that  many  lovers  flitted  about  her  like  moths 
around  a  lighted  candle  on  a  summer's  night. 
This  courtly  suitor  had  been  not  a  little  an- 
noyed and  vexed  by  a  certain  lack  of  response 
and  lover-like  devotion  on  the  part  of  the  Bos- 
ton belle  during  his  absence  in  Philadelphia. 
The  sly  gossips  had  intimated  that  Dorothy  Q. 
was  a  flirt,  and  that  she  did  more  than  pass 
the  time  of  day  with  several  of  these  ardent 
admirers.  Now  that  he  was  to  keep  her  under 
his  daily  care,  his  fears  went  to  the  winds,  and 
his  heart  beat  with  a  new,  riotous  joy. 

Yes,  he  could  afford  to  be  happy  and  cast 
the  stiffness  and  stateliness  of  his  lofty  posi- 
tion one  side  for  the  day. 

"Isn't  he  delio'htf ul ! "  said  Lois  to  her 
sister.  They  had  greeted  the  bride  and  the 
bridegroom  a  second  time,  and  both  John 
Hancock  and  his  wife  had  given  the  two  girls 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  81 

several  resounding  kisses  upon  their  fresh 
and  lovely  lips. 

"  Yes,  Lois,  he 's  really  an  ideal  bride- 
groom, —  ideal  from  our  point  of  view.  He 
does  n't  save  all  his  sweetness  for  the  bride. 
They  make  a  regal-looking  pair.  Why  did  n't 
you  kiss  the  bride  ?  " 

Desire  was  now  teasing  her  cousin  Duane, 
who  stood  on  her  right,  while  David  had 
moved  over  to  her  left,  and  Lois  leaned 
upon  her  arm  in  the  front.  They  made  a 
remarkable  group. 

"  Colonel,  there  's  a  picture  that  vies  with 
the  beauty  of  the  bride  and  the  grandeur  of 
the  bridegroom." 

Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges  was  speaking  to 
Colonel  Silliman,  a  listener  to  Captain  Sam- 
uel Squier,  Mr.  Job  Bartram,  and  Dr.  Allin 
enor-ao^ed  in  war  talk. 

c5      O 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  striking  resem- 
blance ?  " 

As  Colonel  Silliman  spoke,  the  knot  of 
people  about  him  gazed  upon  the  little  com- 
pany to  which  he  pointed.  It  had  often 
been  remarked  that  Desire  and  David  looked 
so  much  alike  that  it  was  a  matter  of  clothes 
alone  which  enabled  people  to  distinguish 
them.     But  when  a  third  person,  this  New 


82  AN-   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

York  cousin,  with  a  resemblance  quite  as 
striking,  was  put  in  line  with  them,  and  the 
handsome  group  received  a  sort  of  finishing 
touch  from  the  child  Lois,  whose  features 
were  likewise  characteristic  of  the  Hardy  lin- 
eage, it  was  a  picture  long  to  be  remembered. 

The  brother,  sisters  two,  and  cousin  stood 
engrossed  in  bright  conversation  and  gay 
banter,  while  person  after  person  noted  them, 
looking  with  warm  heart  and  kindling  eye 
upon  the  rare  quartette.  For  the  school- 
master's grandchildren  made  many  friends, 
doing  not  a  little  to  enliven  and  adorn  the 
society  in  which  they  moved. 

"  They  are  very  interesting  young  people," 
observed  Mrs.  Andrew  Eliot  the  senior.  She 
was  speaking  with  Aunt  Lydia  Hancock.  "  I 
doubt  me  if  we  could  find  in  all  Boston  better- 
looking  or  more  attractive  children  and  youth." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  serene  lady,  "  I  have 
become  very  fond  of  the  girls.  And  I  know 
your  son  thinks  highly  of  David  Hardy.  Mr. 
Duane  Livingstone  is  almost  a  stranger  to  me, 
but  I  hear  excellent  reports  of  him.  Aaron 
Burr  admired  him,  and  told  us  how  popular  the 
young  gallant  was  in  New  York.  But  I  have 
not  asked  concerning  your  husband  to-day." 

Mrs.  Hancock  was  not   the   only  refugee 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  83 

seeking  a  home  in  Fairfield.  The  wife  of  the 
North  Church  pastor  and  four  of  his  children 
had  fled  to  the  hospitable  town,  bringing 
friends  with  them. 

"  I  know  I  put  you  under  difficulties,"  Dr. 
Eliot  wrote  to  his  son  in  April,  when  Mrs. 
Eliot  was  starting  for  Connecticut  by  the 
overland  way,  and  the  children  had  embarked 
on  a  ship  from  Salem,  "  but  you  are  the  only 
asylum  I  have." 

The  faithful  man  remained  stanchly  at  his 
post  through  the  siege  of  his  native  city,  and 
many  were  the  kind  offices  which  he  per- 
formed for  friend  and  foe  alike.  Meanwhile 
the  other  members  of  his  family  were  scat- 
tered, and  communications  became  infrequent 
and  beset  with  trouble. 

"Did  the  coach  bring  you  tidings  of  Dr. 
Eliot?"  inquired  Mrs.  Hancock. 

"  No,  I  have  received  nothing  from  him 
these  two  weeks.  But  I  do  not  fret.  He  is 
in  the  Lord's  keeping,  and  doing  what  he 
deems  is  his  plain  duty.  He  '11  be  cared  for. 
I  think  we  all  learn  to  be  brave  and  trustful, 
these  days.  It  will  take  a  great  deal  of  cour- 
age and  devotion  to  carry  us  through  the 
struggle,  but  I  believe  that  God  is  with  us. 
Of  whom  shall  we  be  afraid  ?" 


84  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Colonel  Abraham  Gould  bowed  deferen- 
tially to  the  ladies  as  he  passed,  tarrying  for 
a  moment  to  pay  his  respects. 

"  Madam,  this  is  a  happy  day  for  you." 
He  addressed  Mrs.  Hancock.  It  was  reported 
that  she  had  been  exceedingly  anxious  to  see 
Dorothy  Quincy  wedded  to  her  nephew. 

"  A  most  happy  day,  I  thank  you,  sir," 
replied  the  lady.  "  And  Fairfield  becomes 
dear  to  me.  Would  that  every  city  of  refuge 
for  the  people  of  God  might  be  as  lovely  and 
hospitable  as  this  town." 

"You  honor  us,  dear  madam.  We  shall 
not  forget  your  gracious  words." 

Mrs.  Hancock  acknowledged  the  gentle- 
man's courtesy. 

"  And  may  I  express,  esteemed  lady,"  — 
Colonel  Gould  was  still  conversing  with  Mrs. 
Eliot,  —  "  our  deep  sympathy  for  you  in  this 
enforced  separation  from  your  eminent  and 
greatly  beloved  husband.  I  trust  that  he 
keeps  his  health  amid  the  worry  and  trial  of 
his  arduous  duties.  And  I  trust  that  while 
you  mourn  this  enforced  exile  from  your 
home  and  husband,  you  do,  nevertheless,  in 
some  measure  receive  compensation  for  it  by 
staying  with  your  son." 

"  You  are  very  kind,  my  dear  sir,  and  the 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  85 

many  expressi5ns  of  good  feeling  on  the  part 
of  your  people  I  deeply  appreciate.  I  am 
comforted  by  the  tender  solicitude  of  my  son, 
and  everything  is  done  to  mitigate  my  dis- 
tress. But,  sir,  my  sufferings  are  nothing, 
and  I  glory  in  them,  if  so  be  there  shall  come 
liberty  and  justice  to  the  colonies." 

''  Madam,  such  sentiments  are  noble  and 
inspiring.  They  enable  us  to  gird  our  loins 
for  the  conflict,  assured  that  we  are  sustained 
by  those  more  precious  to  us  than  life.  I 
believe  that  God  will  give  us  the  victory, 
although  the  price  must  be  not  only  our  ser- 
vice and  substance,  but  a  vast  amount  of  dis- 
tress and  much  spilt  blood." 

A  sliofht  commotion  on  the  street  drew  the 
attention  of  the  guests.  Madam  Hancock 
hurried  down  the  front  porch  into  the  yard 
in  pursuit  of  Mr.  Thaddeus  Burr,  and  Colonel 
Gould  with  Colonel  Silliman  accompanied  her. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  gentlemen.  My  anxiety 
may  be  needless,  but  I  remember  that  General 
Gage  has  put  a  price  upon  the  head  of  my 
nephew,  and  has  made  more  than  one  attempt 
to  captivate  him.  It  was  only  by  the  good 
providence  of  God  that  we  escaped  from  the 
enemy  while  staying  with  our  beloved  cou- 
sins  in  the   parsonage  at  Lexington.     And 


86  ^.V   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

methinks  some  traitor  in  our  midst  perchance 
might  conspire  to  turn  our  rejoicings  to-day 
into  terror  and  lamentation." 

A  report  had  gone  abroad  that  the  British 
were  on  the  watch  for  the  President  of  the 
Continental  Congress,  and  that  it  had  been 
planned  to  take  him  prisoner  before  the  bridal 
party  left  town.  The  commotion  on  the  street 
was  caused  by  the  cantering  of  a  swift  messen- 
ger, who  evidently  came  bearing  dispatches  of 
importance. 

No  sooner  was  he  dismounted  than  the 
festivities  suddenly  ended.  Danger  seemed 
to  lurk  in  the  air.  Governor  Trumbull,  Mr. 
Quincy,  John  Adams,  the  gentry  of  the  town, 
and  the  startled  guests  that  had  gathered 
from  all  parts  of  the  colony  awaited  the  rapid 
approach  of  Mr.  John  Hancock,  for  the  com- 
munication was  addressed  to  him.  His  wife, 
in  all  the  splendor  of  bridal  array,  tripped 
lightly  down  the  steps  and  followed  him 
where  he  stood  amid  the  throng  of  excited 
friends  and  observers.  He  broke  the  seal  of 
the  letter,  scanned  its  contents,  then  with 
flushed  face  addressed  the  company  that 
pressed  upon  him  :  — 

"  You  will  pardon  me,  gentlemen,  if  I  with- 
draw to  my   chamber  and  attend  to  public 


JOHN  HANCOCK'S  NUPTIALS  87 

affairs  of  great  moment.  I  will  meet  the 
governor  and  his  council  and  the  Fairfield 
Committee  of  Correspondence  for  immediate 
consultation." 

"  Desire,  Desire,  I  think  the  British  are 
coming^ !  "  cried  Lois. 

The  gentlemen  had  retired  to  an  upper 
room  in  the  mansion,  where  they  were  soon 
closeted  in  counsel  with  Colonel  Hancock. 
The  festive  appearance  of  the  town  changed 
to  a  martial  aspect.  The  wedding  guests 
hurried  away,  getting  into  their  coaches,  or 
walking  to  their  homes  in  town,  or  galloping 
down  the  King's  Highway  to  the  lower  vil- 
lages, or  hastening  along  the  shore  toward 
New  Haven. 

When  the  massive,  shining  coach  of  John 
Hancock  drew  up  in  front  of  the  Burr  home- 
stead, the  bride  and  bridegroom  entered  the 
capacious  structure,  the  outriders  and  the 
postihons  took  their  places,  the  guard  of 
honor  arrayed  itself  in  all  mihtary  splendor 
to  the  front  and  the  rear,  while  an  escort 
of  private  citizens  and  guests  brought  up  the 
end  of  the  procession.  Thus  with  haste  and 
good  wishes,  amid  anxieties  and  prayers,  the 
honored  gentleman  and  his  beautiful  wife 
started  upon  the  journey. 


CHAPTEE  VII 

THE    UNITED    AMERICAN    COLONIES    ARE    FREE 
AND    INDEPENDENT    STATES 

After  the  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the 
British,  Washington  came  back  to  New  York, 
passing  through  Fairfield  April  the  12th. 
There  were  greetings  on  the  part  of  the  town 
Committee  of  Correspondence  and  a  brief 
halt  at  the  mansion  of  Thaddeus  Burr,  where 
the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  American  army 
took  the  opportunity  to  pay  his  respects  to 
the  aunt  of  the  President  of  the  Continental 
Congress.  Both  Desire  and  Lois  happened 
to  be  present  when  General  Washington  ar- 
rived, while  David  was  one  of  several  young 
men  that  escorted  him  throus^h  the  town. 

"  I  have  a  message  for  your  Excellency 
which  I  am  instructed  to  deliver  in  secret." 

Desire  addressed  the  Commander-in-chief 
as  they  stood  for  one  moment  apart  from  the 
other  members  of  the  company.  His  eye 
kindled  with  interest  and  admiration.  Desire 
shone  with  a  beauty  that  was  the  revelation 


FREE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES  89 

of  a  lively,  intelligent  spirit,  expressive  of 
rare,  fine  character,  interpreting  with  star- 
tling facility  the  moods  and  dispositions  of  a 
generous,  intense,  high-minded  young  woman. 
She  was  impulsive  and  fearless,  quick  to  adapt 
herself  to  circumstances,  a  keen  wit  and  a 
shrewd  observer,  gifted  with  all  the  subtle 
intuitions  pecuHar  to  her  sex,  possessed  of  a 
certain  masculine  force  and  aofofressiveness 
that  often  imperiled  her  own  peace  and  that 
of  her  friends.  Yet  there  was  an  honesty 
and  straightforwardness  about  her,  a  loyalty 
to  principle,  an  enthusiasm  for  right,  which 
kept  her  out  of  mischief  and  preserved  her 
from  many  a  trial  that  now  and  again  seemed 
imminent. 

Washington  was  an  excellent  judge  of 
human  nature,  while  swift  to  respond  to  the 
charms  of  a  woman.  And  he  detected  in  Desire 
something  other  than  a  beautiful  face  and 
winning  manners.  There  was  a  depth  of  soul 
and  purpose  revealed  to  him,  a  delicate  sense 
of  responsibility,  a  vital  concern  in  affairs, 
that  commanded  instant  confidence.  She  did 
not  wish  to  draw  attention  to  herself,  or  profit 
by  any  interview  with  the  man  who  held 
in  his  hands  the  destinies  of  the  American 
colonies.     Washington  became  aware  of  that 


90  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

fact  while  she  preferred  her  simple  request. 
Here  was  a  person  capable  of  serving  her 
country,  and  she  had  something  of  impor- 
tance to  pass  over  to  him. 

"With  your  permission/'  —  Desire  bowed 
to  the  host  and  hostess,  —  "I  am  to  serve 
General  Washington  with  a  cup  of  cold  water 
fresh  from  the  well." 

"  And  with  your  permission,"  —  the  Com- 
mander-in-chief bowed  very  graciously  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burr  and  the  company,  —  "I  will 
go  vrith  the  young  lady  and  draw  the  water 
with  my  own  hands." 

There  was  a  tone  of  authority  in  his  words. 
The  two  passed  down  the  long  hall,  Desire 
turning  one  side  to  get  a  silver  mug.  Then 
they  walked  to  the  well.  The  bucket  was 
attached  to  one  of  the  old-fashioned  sweeps ; 
and  while  the  general  pulled  down  the  cum- 
brous instrument  so  that  the  water  gurgled 
into  its  receptacle.  Desire  bent  her  head  and 
peered  into  the  darkness,  speaking  hastily 
and  pointedly  to  her  eager  listener,  —  ending 
her  address  by  giving  him  a  little  packet,  which 
she  transferred  with  the  cup  into  his  hands,  and 
which  he  quickly  slipped  into  his  breast. 

It  was  a  warm,  enervating  April  day,  one  of 
the  sweet  precursors  of  the  on-coming  sum- 


FREE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES         91 

mer,  and  the  crystal  waters  were  refreshing 
after  the  march  from  New  Haven. 

There  was  a  strange  sparkle  in  the  eyes  of 
Desire  as  she  accompanied  General  ^yashing- 
ton  back  into  the  mansion.  And  it  was  with 
matchless  grace  and  gentleness  that  the  great 
man  took  her  hand  in  his  when  he  came  to 
say  good-by,  and,  lifting  it  to  his  lips,  rever- 
ently craved  God's  blessing  upon  her. 

"  Was  n't  it  lovely  !  "  exclaimed  Lois,  who 
had  been  a  sharp  witness  throughout  the 
whole  scene.  "  Why  did  n't  he  kiss  my  fin- 
gers ?  I  'd  have  been  glad  to  have  him  kiss 
my  lips,  as  John  Hancock  did.  Wouldn't 
you.  Desire  ?  " 

But  her  sister  was  absorbed  in  thought, 
and  there  came  the  fitful  play  of  light  and 
shadow  upon  her  face. 

"  Child,"  said  Madam  Hancock,  "  General 
Washington  is  a  courtly  gentleman,  but  you 
shall  visit  me  in  Boston  and  meet  many  a 
northern  man  with  manners  quite  as  fine. 
And  yet  methinks  it  would  sound  hyper- 
critical and  vainglorious  to  speak  in  these 
terms  among  your  Fairfield  gentry.  I  find 
no  better,  nobler  exemplars  of  Christian 
courtesy  or  true  manhood  than  here.  The 
lavish  hospitality  of  these  old  friends,  their 


92  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

extreme  politeness  and  beneficent  friendship, 
shall  I  ever  see  their  match  ?  " 

"  Ah,  madam,  I  grieve  that  you  leave  us, 
for  we  have  learned  to  love  you,  and  many 
are  the  happy  hours  which  Lois  and  I  have 
spent  in  your  company." 

This  was  on  April  the  12th.  Three  days 
later,  the  lady,  while  engaged  in  final  pre- 
parations for  her  return  to  Boston,  was  seized 
with  apoplexy  and  passed  away. 

"  Oh,  Desire,"  cried  Lois,  "  to  think  that 
Madam  Hancock  must  die  when  she  was 
planning  so  much  for  the  enjoyment  of  us  all 
and  for  the  help  of  the  colonies  !  " 

For  the  good  lady  had  possessed  an  ample 
fortune,  and  her  affairs  having  taken  a  favora- 
ble turn,  she  had  proposed  to  furnish  some  of 
the  sinews  of  war  and  share  more  generously 
in  the  protracted  conflict. 

Thus  there  came  changes  in  the  life  of  the 
Hardy  family.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
the  grandfather  died,  so  that  heavier  respon- 
sibilities were  thrust  upon  David  and  Desire. 
There  was  the  farm  to  manage  and  their  sup- 
port to  get  out  of  it.  There  were  the  slaves, 
Minto  and  Chloe,  a  constant  care  and  cause 
of  vexation,  in  spite  of  their  services.  There 
was  Lois  to  train  and  instruct,  a  most  trying 


FREE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES         93 

task,  for  she  was  fain  to  imitate  Desire  even 
to  the  point  of  fault  and  folly. 

"  I  'm  glad  we  have  only  two  slaves,"  cried 
Desire  one  morning,  after  a  tiff  with  Chloe, 
who  now  felt  that,  since  Grandfather  Hardy 
was  dead,  the  burden  of  domestic  affairs  fell 
upon  her.  "  If  we  owned  as  many  as  Colo- 
nel Silliman,  I  should  die  of  vexation  and 
wrath." 

"  Why,  how  many  belong  to  the  Silli- 
mans  ?  "  inquired  Lois. 

"  Ten  or  a  dozen.  And  I  heard  the  colo- 
nel tell  Mr.  Eliot  the  other  day  that  if  he 
had  stuck  to  his  law  business  and  let  farming 
and  slavery  alone,  he  would  have  been  worth 
a  good  deal  more  money.  He  was  advising 
Mr.  Eliot  not  to  buy  a  manservant.  And  I 
agree  with  him.  I  don't  think  we  ought  to 
own  folks,  any  way.  Negroes  have  souls  the 
same  as  other  men  and  women." 

"  Let 's  free  Minto  and  Chloe,"  said  David 
quietly.  He  had  been  reading  Greek  while 
the  girls  were  speaking. 

"David,  you  could  n't  drive  either  of  them 
away.  They  think  they  're  the  responsible 
parties  here  now,  and  I  heard  Minto  say  to 
Chloe  the  other  night,  '  Chile,  we 's  got  to 
look  after  'um  ;  they  's  an  awful  'sponsibility. 


94  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

but  it 's  de  Lo'd's  will.'  Feeling  like  that, 
do  you  suppose  they  'd  leave  us?" 

The  brother  and  his  sisters  were  seated  at 
supper  one  June  evening  when  Sherwood 
Spalding  entered  unannounced.  He  was 
a  Tory  friend  of  the  Hardy  family,  a  mem- 
ber of  Trinity  Church,  and  a  hot-headed 
loyalist. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  your  fanatics  have 
done  at  Hartford  ?  "  he  blurted  out,  not  wait- 
ing for  a  reply.  "  They  've  resolved  that  the 
delegates  of  Connecticut  in  the  so-called 
Continental  Congress  be  and  are  hereby  in- 
structed to  propose  to  that  body  to  declare 
that  the  United  American  Colonies  are  free 
and  independent  States ;  absolved  from  all 
allegiance  to  Great  Britain.  Heavens  !  they 
must  have  all  gone  stark  mad  !  " 

"  Have  they,  have  they  ?  "  exclaimed  De- 
sire excitedly.  "  Hurrah  for  old  Connecti- 
cut!" and  she  waved  her  kerchief  above  her 
head  as  she  sprang  from  the  table. 

"Hurrah,  hurrah!"  echoed  Lois,  loosening 
her  white  apron  and  unfurling  it  like  a  flag. 

The  child  had  a  mind  of  her  own,  and 
she  was  free  to  assert  her  independence  when 
Desire  ordered  her  to  the  doing  of  this  or 
that   task.     She  was  not  to  be  domineered 


FBEE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES         95 

over  by  her  sister.  Nevertheless,  Desire  was 
the  inspiration  and  pattern  of  her  Hfe,  and 
Lois  adored  her.  A  flame  of  patriotism  had 
been  kindled  by  the  enthusiasm  of  Desire, 
and  every  fresh  expression  of  interest  nour- 
ished it.  So  when  the  elder  sister  gave  way 
to  a  jubilant  hurrah,  the  younger  one  followed. 

"  You  girls  don't  know  what  you  're 
about !  "  shouted  the  visitor  angrily.  "  Why, 
these  cjolonies  can  no  more  take  care  of  them- 
selves than  dogs  can  fly  !  " 

"  They  can't,  eh  ?"  exclaimed  David,  whose 
spirit  began  to  show  itself.  "  I  'm  thinking 
that  Connecticut  has  sense  and  backbone 
enough  to  look  out  for  herself,  my  British 
friend.  Other  colonies  may  not  elect  their 
own  governors  and  transact  their  own  affairs, 
but  that 's  what  we  've  done  for  many  a  year, 
and  more  than  that,  every  one  of  the  thu-teen 
provinces  is  capable  of  doing  the  same  thing." 

"  You  're  all  Radicals  here.  You  don't 
know  on  which  side  your  bread  is  buttered. 
I  teU  you  it 's  idiotic  for  the  colonies  to  resist 
the  mother  country,  and  the  day  will  come 
when  "  — 

"  You  'U  eat  your  words  and  be  a  mighty 
sick  man,"  interrupted  David. 

It  was  true  that  Connecticut  had  sent  on 


96  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  instructions  described,  and  it  was  only  a 
few  days  before  the  Continental  Congress 
issued  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
Events  were  following  one  another  in  quick 
succession.  Howe  had  laid  Falmouth  in 
ruins,  and  made  every  true  New  Englander 
feel  that  the  die  was  cast ;  it  was  now  war 
to  the  knife.  As  the  eastern  colonies  were 
free  from  immediate  peril,  they  spent  their 
resources  in  assisting  neighbors. 

It  proved  a  fine  record  which  Connecticut 
was  making.  At  the  very  beginning  of 
hostilities,  she  sent  several  of  her  sons  to  take 
Ticonderoga.  Then  her  troops  responded 
heartily  to  Washington  when  he  held  the 
British  army  blockaded  in  Boston.  Governor 
Trumbull  continued  active  and  alert  in  every 
emergency,  so  that  men  and  substance  were 
forthcoming  whenever  solicited.  These  things 
made  the  Tory  citizens  of  the  colony  angry 
and  offensive. 

"  I  suppose  you  've  been  reading  Paine's 
'  Common  Sense,'  "  said  Spalding  contemptu- 
ously. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Desire,  "  and  I  like  it. 
The  man  knows  whereof  he  speaks.  I  don't 
wonder  that  it  has  had  such  an  immense  cir- 
culation.    Why,  thousands    upon   thousands 


FBEE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES         97 

of  copies  have  been  scattered  through  the 
colonies.  Perhaps  it  has  influenced  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  itself." 

"  Oh,  very  likely,"  continued  Spalding,  in 
the  same  sneering  tone.  "That  and  ^  Mc- 
Fingal '  are  great  books.  You  '11  keep  them 
by  the  side  of  the  Bible,  won't  you?" 

"  They  say  a  Connecticut  man  wrote  ^  Mc- 
Fingal.'  Whoever  did  it,  I  am  proud  of 
him,"  exclaimed  Desire,  with  spirit. 

"  Perhaps  David  is  the  writer,  and  his 
modesty  restrains  him  from  confessing." 

The  guest  was  evidently  anxious  to  abate 
the  acrimony  of  the  discussion  and  get  inta 
the  good  graces  of  his  hearers,  now  that  he 
had  delivered  himself  of  the  news  and  his 
choler. 

"  Sherwood,  have  you  heard  the  latest 
definition  of  a  Tory  ?  "  David  put  the  ques- 
tion, and  challenged  by  a  glance  the  young 
fellow. 

"  I  don't  care  what  the  definition  is.  These 
colonies  belong  to  Great  Britain,  and  she  is 
ready  to  do  the  fair  thing  by  them.  If  it 
had  n't  been  for  a  few  hot-heads  like  Samuel 
Adams,  our  difficulties  would  have  been  ami- 
cably settled." 

"A  Tory,"  continued  David  mischievously, 


98  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

''  is  a  thing  whose  head  is  in  England  and 
whose  body  is  in  America ;  its  neck  ought  to 
be  stretched."  * 

"  And  I  suppose  that  you  would  like  to  be 
a  committee  of  one  to  stretch  it,  hey  ?  Try 
it,  David.     Try  it." 

"  Well,  you  boys  can  settle  matters  to  suit 
yourselves,"  said  Desire.  "  Lois  and  I  must 
do  our  stint  of  spinning  to-night." 

So  while  the  young  men  exercised  their 
gifts  in  a  spirited  match  of  word-sparring,  the 
sisters  worked,  listened,  reflected,  until  Lois, 
tired  of  the  confinement,  ran  out  in  the  twi- 
lio^ht  for  a  breath  of  fresh  air. 

"  Have  you  heard  the  news  about  the  De- 
fence?" exclaimed  the  child,  as  she  came 
hastening  into  the  house. 

The  Defence  was  the  new  brig  which  the 
General  Assembly  had  ordered  to  be  con- 
structed in  January,  1776,  Benjamin  Hunting- 
ton, of  Norwich,  and  Captain  Seth  Harding 
being  the  commissioners  to  look  after  the  mat- 
ter. She  had  a  keel  of  eighty  feet,  a  beam  of 
twenty-seven,  a  depth  of  hold  of  twelve,  her 
burden  being  two  hundred  and  sixty  tons. 
The  vessel  having  been  finished  in  May,  and 
manned,  had  sailed  for  the  neighborhood  of 
Boston  harbor.    Captain  Harding  was  in  com- 


FREE  AND  INDEPENDENT  STATES         99 

mand,  and  two  Bartrams  and  Sam  Smedley 
were  lieutenants. 

"  Mrs.  Smedley  has  heard  from  her  hus- 
band, and  she  says  that  while  the  brig  was 
cruising  near  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  they 
had  a  fight,  and  took  two  transports,  both 
armed.  Nine  men  were  wounded  on  the 
Defence,  but  they  '11  all  get  well,  and  I  don't 
know  how  many  soldiers  were  taken  prisoners ; 
and  the  very  day  after  this  fight,  the  Defence 
caught  another  transport  with  a  lot  of  red- 
coats, and  they  're  all  prisoners,  too.  Is  n't 
it  glorious  ?  " 

Sherwood  Spalding  slipped  quietly  away  to 
learn  if  the  story  was  true,  while  the  Hardy 
family  joined  in  fresh  jubilations. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ONE    LIFE    TO    GIVE    FOR    MY    COUNTRY 

Mr.  Duane  Hardy  Livingstone  assumed 
an  unenviable  position.  His  family  were 
ardent  patriots,  but  the  impression  went 
abroad  that  the  young  man  was  either  on  the 
fence,  or  an  out  and  out  Tory. 

Try  on  was  now  attending  to  military  affairs, 
and  the  subtlety,  vindictiveness,  and  downright 
cruelty  which  had  won  him  the  name  given 
by  the  Cherokees  were  forcibly  illustrated. 

The  Great  Wolf  of  North  Carolina  turned 
his  eyes  on  Connecticut.  The  war  game 
which  he  was  playing  in  New  York  not 
only  required  some  diversion,  but  Connecticut 
seemed  to  him  in  need  of  chastisement.  She 
had  given  a  helping  hand  to  New  York  pa- 
triots on  numerous  occasions,  and  she  was 
doing  more  to  harass  the  British  and  prolong 
the  struggle  than  any  other  colony,  with  one 
exception.  In  the  afflluence  of  her  support 
and  encouragement,  she  had  sent  a  great  por- 
tion of  her  sons  into  other  States,  so  that  her 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     101 

own  shores  and  towns  were  meagrely  equipped 
for  defense,  while  the  amount  of  supplies 
which  she  had  furnished  was  almost  beyond 
credit. 

"  I  hate  those  Connecticut  Yankees  !  "  ob- 
served General  Tryon  one  day,  in  a  frank 
talk  with  Duane  Livingstone.  "  I  '11  teach 
them  a  lesson  that  they  '11  not  soon  forget." 

The  young  man  moved  nervously  and  held 
his  peace. 

"  They  're  the  meanest,  slyest  lot  of  rebels 
in  all  the  provinces.  And  they  are  so  sleek 
and  cunning  in  their  pious  talk  about  rights 
and  freedom  that  I  am  aching  for  a  chance  to 
flay  them." 

Still  the  general's  auditor  made  no  reply. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  Livingstone,  that  it 's 
time  for  you  to  be  doing  something  for  your 
king  and  country.  You  're  a  little  too  much 
on  the  fence,  my  boy.  Come,  join  my  staff 
and  bravely  show  your  colors." 

"  Well,  general,  you  'd  hardly  expect  me 
to  look  with  favor  upon  any  incursions  into 
Connecticut,  would  you?  All  my  mother's 
family  are  Yankees,  and  I  have  hosts  of 
friends  among  the  gentry  of  the  colony." 

"  Gentry  be  damned !  "  exclaimed  Tryon 
hotly.  ''  They  're  a  blasted  horde  of  unre- 
pentant renegades." 


102  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  Did  n't  you  enjoy  their  hospitality  more 
than  once  ?  Have  n't  you  met  several  of  our 
Fairfield  people  and  found  them  among  the 
most  genial  and  refined  in  the  colonies?  " 

"  Man,  what  do  I  care  about  their  being 
genial  or  hospitable  ?  They  're  in  arms 
against  their  lawful  sovereign,  and  they  ought 
to  be  humbled  and  whipped  into  subjection. 
I  've  been  a-watching  'em  many  a  month. 
Think  of  the  bold  miscreants  coming  down 
here  and  smashing  Rivington's  presses  and 
carrying  things  with  such  a  high  hand  in  this 
city  !  And  there  is  n't  a  move  made  in  all 
this  section  on  the  part  of  the  rebels  that  the 
Connecticut  men  are  not  in  the  forefront 
of  it.  They  tell  me  that  almost  half  of 
Washington's  army  comes  from  the  cursed 
colony." 

It  was  not  long  after  this  outburst  in  the 
presence  of  Duane  Livingstone  that  a  warn- 
ing word  was  passed  all  along  the  shore 
towns.  It  reached  the  ears  of  the  governor, 
who,  in  his  generosity  and  eagerness  to 
help  Washington,  had  well-nigh  stripped 
Connecticut  of  her  troops.  So  there  was 
renewed  activity  in  every  village,  the  train- 
bands multiplied,  and  the  Green  once  more 
became  a  scene  of  incessant  military  drill. 


ONE  LIFE   TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     103 

In  Fairfield  a  coast  guard  was  voted  and 
set  nightly  in  the  following  manner :  Four 
to  patrol  from  Saugatuck  River  to  Cable's 
Mill,  four  to  patrol  from  said  Mill  to  Sasco 
River,  four  from  Sasco  River  to  Mill  River, 
four  from  Mill  River  to  Pine  Creek,  six  to 
patrol  from  Pine  Creek  to  Ash  Creek,  so 
called,  and  in  the  town  streets,  and  four  at 
Strathfield.  They  were  to  be  paid  three  shilr 
lings  for  their  services.  It  gave  the  people  a 
slight  sense  of  security,  and  enabled  many  a 
family  to  sleep  at  least  half  the  night. 

The  times  were  hard,  indeed.  Smallpox 
raged  in  the  neighborhood,  so  that  pest- 
houses  had  been  erected  and  filled  with  vic- 
tims of  the  contagion.  Then  the  poor, 
anxious  citizens  that  escaped  the  pest  were 
subjected  to  inoculation  and  forced  to  retire 
from  the  village,  living  their  allotted  period 
in  isolation,  Thaddeus  Burr  among  them, 
for  no  distinctions  were  made  in  these  mat- 
ters. In  addition  to  decimated  ranks  and 
prevailing  disease,  there  was  the  incessant 
strain  of  providing  the  necessaries  of  life  for 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and  the  soldiers 
doing  service  abroad.  The  taxes  were  heavy, 
the  currency  poor.  Luxuries  had  been  given 
over,  and  the  necessaries  often  followed.     To 


104  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

cap  the  climax  of  distress,  this  message  con- 
cerning the  fell  purpose  of  General  Tryon 
was  widely  circulated. 

General  Washington  had  been  in  great 
need  of  accurate  information  all  these  months 
in  regard  to  the  movements  of  the  British, 
but  the  Secret  Service  was  a  branch  of  patri- 
otic sacrifice  that  did  not  appeal  to  many  men. 
It  was  not  so  much  the  perils  connected  with 
it  that  held  volunteers  aloof,  as  an  indefinable 
sense  of  disgrace. 

Connecticut  was  foremost  in  this  order  of 
merit  and  achievement.  Nathan  Hale  had 
been  in  Fairfield  on  various  occasions,  so 
that  he  was  known  to  several  of  the  citizens. 
Only  a  few  days  after  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  Desire  met  him  at  Colonel  Silli- 
man's.  A  little  later,  he  was  engaged  in  his 
memorable  services  on  Long  Island.  And 
then  one  day  came  the  story  of  his  tragic 
end. 

It  was  late  September,  in  the  twilight  of  the 
22d,  that  Duane  Livingstone  galloped  up  to 
the  Hardy  homestead  and  shouted  for  Minto 
to  come  and  take  his  horse.  David,  Desire, 
and  Lois  ran  hastily  into  the  dooryard  when 
they  heard  his  voice,  for  they  were  sure  that 
he  brought  news.     Every  traveler  these  days 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     105 

was  a  newsbearer,  and  the  stay-at-homes  took 
possession  of  him  the  instant  that  he  ap- 
peared. 

"  What  is  it,  Duane  ? "  called  out  David. 
"  No  bad  news,  I  hope." 

"  The  royal  army  holds  New  York ;  the 
Continental  forces  have  withdrawn  ;  General 
Tryon  had  an  enthusiastic  reception  when  he 
returned  to  his  headquarters ;  and  last  night 
a  good  part  of  the  city  was  burned  to  ashes." 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  "  cried  Desire.  "  You 
don't  mean  that  all  the  city  is  destroyed. 
Where  is  Aunt  Esther  ?  Did  your  house 
burn  ?  "  and  the  voice  of  Desire  betrayed  her 
agitation. 

"  Yes,  the  old  mansion  is  gone.  We  have 
another  house  into  which  we  can  move,  but 
the  family  thought  it  best  to  leave  the  city 
until  things  are  more  quiet  than  at  present; 
and  what  place  shall  we  fly  to  if  not  Fairfield?  " 

"  Yes,  come  and  welcome.  There  is  room 
for  you  all,"  said  David,  with  genuine  hearti- 
ness. 

"  Oh,  it 's  mother  and  the  servants  that  we 
feel  more  particular  about.  The  rest  of  us 
can  take  care  of  ourselves.  We  '11  be  here, 
there,  everywhere,  —  only  it 's  pleasant,  you 
know,  to  establish  headquarters  and  feel  that, 


106  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

when  other  resources  fail^  there  is  one  place 
to  fall  back  on." 

They  were  now  walking  into  the  house  and 
paying  Duane  those  slight  attentions  which 
a  weary  traveler  loves.  But  while  the  prepa- 
rations for  supper  went  on,  the  conversation 
continued  without  break. 

"  How  did  the  city  get  on  fire  ? "  asked 
Lois. 

Duane  hesitated  before  making  a  reply. 

"  Well,  Try  on  and  the  loyalists  say  that  it 
was  set  on  fire  by  the  rebels." 

"  Duane,"  interrupted  David,  "  don't  talk 
about  rebels  to  us." 

"  Oh,  well,  no  offense  intended,"  the  cou- 
sin answered.  "  I  don't  believe  the  report. 
I  think  it  was  accident  that  started  the  fire. 
And  then  we  had  no  conveniences  to  stop  it 
when  once  it  had  made  headway.  Why, 
everything  was  out  of  order, — buckets,  lad- 
ders, and  the  whole  paraphernalia  of  the  fire 
companies.  We  could  do  nothing  with  the 
flames.  They  seemed  bound  to  eat  up  the 
whole  town." 

"  Probably  Tryon  himself  set  the  city  on 
fire.  Like  Nero,  he  wished  to  see  a  great 
conflagration,  and  then  it  was  easy  enough  to 
lay  it  to  the  slaves,  or  the  Whigs,  or  the  cut- 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     107 

throats  that  are  always  hanging  around  in 
times  of  trouble." 

"  Now,  David,  you  've  no  right  to  say  such 
a  thing.     It 's  absurd  and  unjust." 

"  Is  there  much  suffering  ?"  inquired  De- 
sire, whose  cheeks  were  flushed  with  the  glow 
of  excitement. 

"  Not  as  much  as  there  will  be  later,  you 
know.  The  weather  has  been  fine  ;  the  suf- 
fering will  come  after  the  frost  and  the  storms 
begin  their  work.  But  it  was  pitiful  to  see 
the  awful  destruction  of  property,  and  hear 
the  cries  of  the  woe-begone  women  and  chil- 
dren." 

"Oh,  war  is  a  terrible  thing ! "  exclaimed 
Desire.  "  The  horror  of  it  deepens  every 
day." 

"  You  'd  think  so,  if  you  had  seen  what  I 
saw  this  morning,"  said  Duane,  with  quiver- 
ing lip  and  whitened  face. 

"  What  was  it,  Duane  ?     Tell  us  about  it." 

It  was  Lois  speaking,  with  the  intense,  mor- 
bid curiosity  of  childhood. 

The  cousin  had  now  seated  himself  at  the 
supper-table,  and  the  sisters  were  doing  all  in 
their  powder  to  make  him  comfortable,  even 
Chloe  flying  around  with  unusual  swiftness 
in  her  zeal  and  concern. 


108  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  I  think  you  know  Captain  Nathan  Hale, 
don't  you?"  Duane  spoke  with  measured 
tone,  like  one  striving  to  repress  the  emotion 
that  threatened  to  overpower  him. 

"  Yes,  he  was  here  only  a  few  weeks  ago 
to  see  Colonel  Silliman.  We  've  met  him 
half  a  dozen  times  in  the  past  few  years.  A 
splendid  fellow  he  is,  too,  a  clear-headed, 
pure-hearted,  high-spirited  patriot.  Why, 
when  he  left  his  school  and  went  into  the 
service,  he  gathered  all  his  pupils  together, 
and  talked  with  them  about  the  necessity  of 
standing  up  for  the  defense  of  their  liberties ; 
then  he  prayed  like  a  very  saint,  I  've  been 
told,  and  having  said  good-by,  threw  himself, 
heart  and  soul,  into  the  fight." 

It  was  Desire  that  spoke.  Duane  lifted  a 
hand  to  his  brow  and  wiped  away  several  drops 
of  sweat  that  had  appeared.  Doubtless  his 
fast  ride  had  heated  him  overmuch,  or  was  it 
the  sign  of  anguish  ? 

"  Captain  Hale  was  a  spy." 

Again  Duane  struggled  to  master  himself. 
There  was  a  stillness  like  death  in  the  room. 
Desire,  David,  Lois,  Chloe,  and  Minto  stood 
motionless  in  their  places,  watchful  of  every 
change  in  his  expression,  alert  to  catch  each 
word  of  the  narrative. 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOB  MY  COUNTRY     109 

"  They  made  him  a  prisoner,  two  or  three 
days  ago.  He  had  compromising  papers  upon 
him,  and  confessed  that  he  was  a  spy." 

Desire  laid  hold  of  the  table  to  balance 
herself,  for  a  kind  of  faintness  began  to  creep 
through  her  limbs,  while  every  bit  of  color 
left  her  lips  and  cheeks. 

"  What  did  they  do  with  him  ?  "  cried  Lois, 
with  shrill,  pathetic  voice. 

There  was  another  pause,  long  and  solemn. 

"  They  hanged  him  this  morning,"  said 
Duane  huskily. 

As  he  uttered  the  words.  Desire  swayed  over 
against  the  table,  then  slipped  unconscious  to 
the  floor.  In  the  excitement,  both  the  young 
men  forgot  their  own  emotion.  It  was  an 
unheard-of  thing  for  Desire  to  faint.  Chloe 
wrung  her  hands,  screaming  with  terror,  "  Oh, 
the  poor  chile  is  dead !  "  Minto  was  paralyzed 
at  the  sight,  and  stirred  not  a  muscle.  Duane 
bade  him  bring  water,  while  David  bent  over 
his  sister,  lifted  her  from  the  floor,  put  her 
upon  the  kitchen  settle,  and  began  to  chafe 
her  hands.  She  came  to  herself  in  a  moment, 
but  there  was  an  expression  of  tense  pain,  a 
look  of  horror,  that  remained. 

"  No,"  said  Duane,  when  further  ques- 
tioned, "  they  did  n't  give  him  any  trial.     He 


110  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

wasn't  even  allowed  to  see  a  minister.  I 
was  told  that  they  destroyed  the  very  letters 
which  he  had  written  to  his  mother  and  sis- 
ter." Again  the  beads  of  sweat  appeared 
upon  the  face  of  the  narrator.  "  It  was  by 
the  merest  chance  that  I  was  present  at  his 
death.  I  was  on  my  way  to  see  a  man  about 
some  private  business." 

"  Did  n't  the  redcoats  let  him  say  anything 
or  send  any  messages  to  his  friends  ?  "  This 
was  David's  inquiry. 

"He  said,"  responded  the  newsbearer,  'I 
only  regret  that  I  have  but  one  life  to  give 
for  my  country.'  " 

The  sentiment  came  like  a  life  elixir  to 
Desire.  The  flush  returned  to  her  face  and 
the  sparkle  to  her  eye. 

"  It  was  a  noble  sacrifice,"  she  said. 
^^  Men  will  honor  him  for  it ;  his  name  shall 
long  be  remembered.  I  glory  in  such  conse- 
cration and  faithfulness.  Would  to  God  ten 
thousand  young  men  in  the  American  colo- 
nies stood  ready  to  imitate  his  example,  if 
needful!" 

"  Perhaps  there  are  many  that  do,"  quietly 
observed  David. 

The  family  had  now  recovered  from  the 
first  shock  of  this  startling  tragedy,  and  they 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     111 

were  gathered  before  the  great  fire  on  the 
kitchen  hearth,  engaged  in  earnest  talk,  which 
lasted  long  into  the  night. 

Two  or  three  days  passed,  and  the  Hardy 
home  was  filled  with  the  New  York  kindred. 

Meanwhile,  Desire  grew  serious  and  thought- 
ful, a  change  noted  by  all  her  friends,  proba- 
bly the  result  of  war,  anxiety,  and  hard  work. 

But  if  this  woman  patriot  felt  the  strain  of 
life,  and  appeared  careworn  and  aged,  none  the 
less  did  changes  mark  the  common  experience 
of  the  people  in  the  colony.  Every  piece  of 
pewter  in  Connecticut  was  run  into  bullets. 
They  were  trying  to  make  salt  down  at  Horse- 
neck.  The  old  copper  mines  at  Simsbury 
had  been  transformed  into  a  prison.  Tories 
from  one  and  another  colony,  Benjamin 
FrankHn's  son,  the  royal  governor  of  New 
Jersey,  among  them,  were  sent  for  safe  keep- 
ing into  loyal  Connecticut.  Home  manufac- 
ture of  every  description  multiplied.  Long 
Island  was  subject  to  frequent  maraudings, 
and  finally  the  people  of  Fairfield  frowned 
upon  the  sale  of  stuff  taken  in  such  case  from 
their  neiofhbors  across  the  Sound.  The  De- 
fence  with  a  small  fleet  of  vessels,  little  and 
big,  did  lively  work  upon  the  shipping  of 
Great    Britain   that   ventured  within    reach. 


112  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  towns  held  meeting  after  meethig  in 
order  to  devise  fresh  means  of  enlistment  or 
enlargement  for  the  army,  voting  to  pay  the 
soldiers  from  out  the  town  treasury,  take  care 
of  their  families,  and  do  a  generous  part  in 
clothing  everybody  concerned.  Through  all 
the  months  of  these  ceaseless  activities,  there 
ran  an  undercurrent  of  fearful  expectancy, 
the  eye  of  General  Tryon  being  still  fixed 
upon  Connecticut. 

The  Livingstones  had  returned  to  New 
York,  and  Duane  was  a  bird  of  passage  ply- 
ing back  and  forth  between  city  and  country. 

His  was  an  anomalous  case.  He  seemed  to 
continue  friendly  with  both  parties  in  the 
conflict,  although  not  especially  at  home  with 
either.  He  was  not  committed  to  the  royal- 
ists, yet  he  was  seen  among  them  as  "  a  hail 
fellow  well  met."  He  went  now  and  again 
on  some  private  business  into  the  Continental 
army.  It  was  known  that  at  least  on  two  oc- 
casions in  the  second  winter  of  the  conflict,  he 
had  had  interviews  with  General  Washington. 

It  was  said  by  several  acquaintances  that 
Duane  manifested  a  remarkable  zeal  for 
trade,  and  that  the  reason  why  he  refused  to 
commit  himself  might  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  he  was  making  money.     The  standing 


< 

Q 


< 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOB  MY  COUNTRY     113 

and  patriotism  of  his  family  kept  him  in 
touch  mth  the  Americans,  while  his  old-time 
friendship  with  Tryon  enabled  him  to  move 
freely  among  the  royaUsts. 

Desire  was  the  only  person  beyond  his  im- 
mediate family  that  placed  absolute  confidence 
in  the  young  man.  Duane  was  known  as  a 
fellow  of  mettle,  so  that  his  peculiar  posi- 
tion did  not  subject  him  to  the  accusation 
of  cowardice.  He  had  so  much  native  bon- 
homie  and  good  humor  in  his  make-up  that 
it  was  possible  for  him  to  steer  a  safe  course 
through  the  political  breakers  which  encom- 
passed him,  if  anybody  could  do  such  a  feat. 
Nevertheless,  there  were  not  a  few  people 
among  the  Americans  and  the  British  that 
looked  with  suspicion  or  disapproval  upon 
him. 

"  I  suppose  that  I  must  keep  my  own  coun- 
sel and  hold  my  peace,"  observed  Duane  to 
his  Cousin  Desire. 

It  was  on  the  24th  of  April,  in  the  year 
1777.  The  two  were  standinof-  under  the 
trees  back  of  the  Hardy  cottage.  No  one 
observed  them  but  old  Chloe,  and  this  dis- 
creet soul  was  as  close-mouthed  as  one  could 
wish.  A  few  minutes  later,  when  the  shades 
of  evening  thickened.  Desire  was  alone. 


114  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  David,"  said  the  girl,  as  she  entered  the 
house  in  search  of  her  brother,  "  I  want  you 
to  ride  with  me  to  Colonel  Gould's  and  Gen- 
eral Silliman's." 

In  the  December  session  of  the  General 
Assembly,  1776,  the  militia  of  Connecticut 
had  been  divided  into  six  brigades,  David 
Wooster  and  Jabez  Huntington  being  made 
major-generals,  and  Colonel  Silliman  one  of 
the  six  brigadier-generals.  To  the  latter  was 
given  the  special  task  of  looking  after  the 
shore  towns  and  protecting  them  against  any 
incursions  of  the  enemy. 

"  David,  you  are  to  give  this  slip  of  paper 
to  Colonel  Gould  while  I  am  talking  to  Mrs. 
Gould  and  the  children." 

The  brother  and  sister  were  on  the  horse, 
Desire  riding  behind  upon  the  pillion.  David 
assented. 

"  And  this  other  scrap  you  are  to  hand 
to  General  Silliman.  I  shall  enjoy  a  little 
chat  with  his  wife,  and  perhaps  we  may  leave 
you  in  the  room  together.  You  are  to  say 
that  he  may  depend  upon  it." 

In  both  cases  the  directions  given  by  De- 
sire were  followed,  and  within  two  hours  the 
young  people  were  home  again. 

That  night  the  coast  guard  paced  a  watch 


ONE  LIFE  TO  GIVE  FOR  MY  COUNTRY     115 

of  tireless  vigilance,  but  nothing  out  of  the 
usual  order  occurred.  The  Sound  was  almost 
devoid  of  sails  when  the  morning  dawned. 
Peace  seemed  to  brood  in  the  calm  waters 
and  the  welcome  sunshine.  But  there  were 
many  anxious  eyes  gazing  in  the  direction 
of  New  York,  miles  and  miles  up  and  down 
the  shores. 

It  was  early  in  the  afternoon  that  a  fleet 
of  twenty-six  British  vessels  was  observed 
making  a  proud  way  east.  David  had  spent 
the  morning  patrolling  the  shore  as  far  down 
as  Norwalk,  and  he  it  was  who  first  dis- 
covered the  approach  of  the  foe.  The  instant 
that  the  fleet  hove  in  sight,  and  he  was  able 
to  note  the  number  of  vessels,  David  wheeled 
about  and  made  for  General  Silliman's  head- 
quarters, ten  miles  distant.  Tryon  might 
strike  Norwalk,  Fairfield,  or  New  Haven,  or 
he  might  lay  waste  all  these  shore  towns. 
They  were  not  only  exposed  to  the  enemy, 
but  they  were  helpless  and  at  his  mercy. 
The  best  that  could  be  done  was  to  arouse 
the  country  and  face  the  hostile  force  with 
such  opposition  and  embarrassment  as  the 
militia  were  able  to  give,  trusting  the  issue 
with  God. 


CHAPTER  IX 

BILLY  THE    BUTCHER    BROILS    PORK 

To  the  surprise  of  the  coast  guard  and  the 
few  straggling  militia-men  on  the  lookout, 
the  enemy  made  for  Compo  Beach,  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Saugatuck  River,  not  far 
from  its  mouth.  Could  it  be  that  they  had 
chosen  this  point  as  a  favorable  starting-place 
for  some  widespread  work  of  devastation  ? 

There  were  some  two  thousand  redcoats, 
thoroughly  equipped  for  their  nefarious  mis- 
sion. They  landed  a  little  before  sunset, 
formed  in  marching  order,  and  pushed  six  or 
seven  miles  back  into  the  country  before  they 
halted. 

Months  earlier,  David  Hardy  had  yielded 
to  the  martial  spirit  of  Desire  and  his  own 
patriotic  instincts,  and  enlisted  in  the  militia. 
He  was  not  able  to  leave  Connecticut  and 
wage  war  in  neighboring  colonies,  as  many 
of  his  friends  and  neighbors  were  doing, 
(In  1775,  the  Department  of  the  North  had 
twenty-eight  hundred  men  in  the  field,  and 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     117 

twenty-five  hundred  of  them  were  Connecti- 
cut troops  ;  and  when  Washington  lingered 
in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York,  more 
than  half  his  army  of  seventeen  thousand 
men  came  from  David's  native  colony.)  Yet 
he  was  glad  to  bear  arms  in  behalf  of  coast 
defense,  although  the  profession  which  he 
had  chosen  was  one  of  peace,  and  a  minister 
with  a  musket  in  the  ranks  was  an  excep- 
tion, not  the  rule.  Washington  had  offered 
to  make  David  Hardy  a  chaplain,  as  he  did 
the  poet  Joel  Barlow,  David's  friend,  at  a 
later  period  in  the  war;  but  it  seemed  best 
for  him  to  stay  at  home  and  render  his  ser- 
vice in  other  forms. 

He  was  not  cut  out  for  a  soldier.  David 
was  brave  and  strong,  he  was  imbued  with 
the  most  exalted  sentiments  of  patriotism ; 
but  he  was  absent-minded  and  given  to  ab- 
sorbing meditation.  On  more  than  one  occa- 
sion he  had  tried  the  soul  of  Desire  almost 
beyond  endurance.  With  the  best  purposes, 
and  moved  by  a  genuine  enthusiasm  for  lib- 
erty and  self-government,  he  might  be  sud- 
denly diverted  to  some  abstruse  problem  in 
philosophy  or  theology,  and  for  the  time 
become  utterly  oblivious  to  an  imperative 
duty.     He  was  not  born  for  action  so  much 


118  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

as  for  study  and  contemplation.  And  yet 
one  could  not  find  a  more  companionable  fel- 
low so  long  as  he  was  jogged  into  conscious- 
ness of  his  surroundings  and  the  task  set  him 
to  achieve. 

"  I  'm  always  afraid  that  David  will  get  to 
wrestling  with  free-will,  or  divine  sovereignty, 
or  some  other  awful  question,  and  forget  to 
keep  his  eyes  open,  or  drop  his  musket,  or  let 
slip  some  great  opportunity,"  observed  Desire 
on  several  occasions.  This  was  a  congenital 
defect,  and  during  childhood  it  had  occasioned 
many  a  chastisement.  There  was  a  period, 
when  at  college,  that  his  friends  hoped  this 
peculiarity  might  be  eradicated,  but  since  his 
study  with  Mr.  Eliot  and  years  of  independ- 
ence on  the  farm,  the  habit  had  asserted 
itself  with  old-time  force.  When  Desire 
wished  to  make  sure  that  an  errand  was  done, 
or  a  service  rendered  according  to  orders,  she 
either  accompanied  her  brother,  or  devised 
some  extraordinary  means  of  reminder. 

"  Now,  David,  keep  clear  of  theology  and 
Hebrew  roots.  Do,  please,  get  them  out  of 
your  mind.  You  must  hold  yourself  screwed 
up  ta  the  fighting-point  so  long  as  the  red- 
coats harass  our  shores." 

Desire  spoke  with  a  tremor  in  her  voice. 


BILLY   THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORE     119 

She  was  fearful  lest  he  mig^ht  become  in- 
volved  in  trouble  or  fail  to  obey  orders.  He 
had  notified  General  Silliman  concerning  the 
approach  of  the  foe,  and  he  was  now  going 
back  among:  the  hills  to  summon  the  militia 
and  arouse  the  people. 

All  night  long  he  ranged  the  country, 
galloping  from  farm  to  farm  and  village  to 
village,  sending  on  the  words  of  warning  or 
command,  taking  his  full  part  in  gathering 
the  train-bands  for  the  coming  fray,  carrying 
his  message  to  General  Wooster,  and  reach- 
ino^  at  last  New  Haven  and  General  Benedict 
Arnold. 

When  the  morning  dawned,  western  Con- 
necticut was  alarmed,  and  hundreds  of  the 
"Minute-men"  w^ere  moving  toward  Danbury. 

It  was  a  night  of  anxiety  and  widespread 
alarm.  But  toward  the  sunrising.  Desire, 
who  had  been  active  through  the  dark  in  at- 
tending to  a  score  of  trivial  errands,  ordered 
out  Minto  and  the  old  horse,  and  hastened 
after  General  Silliman,  to  tell  him  that  she 
had  reason  for  thinking  Danbury  was  to  be 
the  first  objective  point ;  and  as  this  seemed 
probable  because  of  the  large  amount  of  mili- 
tary stores  gathered  there,  the  word  was  given 
to  make  that  neighborhood  a  rendezvous  for 
the  militia. 


120  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  rained  in  the  afternoon,  so  that  General 
SilHmau  was  not  able  to  marshal  his  troops 
with  rapidity,  and  when  evening  came,  Tryon 
and  his  forces  had  entered  Danbury.  The 
destruction  of  the  three  thousand  barrels  of 
pork,  sixteen  hundred  tents,  a  thousand  barrels 
of  flour,  two  thousand  bushels  of  grain  (more 
or  less),  and  numerous  other  articles,  like  wdne, 
rice,  army  carriages,  rum,  did  not  take  a  long 
time ;  and  as  that  was  the  ostensible  object  of 
the  foray,  it  was  natural  to  expect  that  the 
enemy  would  withdraw.  But  Tryon  had 
something  else  in  mind.  For  months,  he  had 
harbored  a  grudge  against  the  patriotic  citi- 
zens of  Connecticut.  No  small  part  of  the 
harassment  formerly  inflicted  upon  him  was 
owing  to  the  assistance  given  Washington 
and  the  rebels  by  Governor  Trumbull  and 
his  militia.  Here  came  the  first  chance  to 
deal  a  rouo^h  and  cruel  blow. 

When  David  reached  the  outskirts  of  Dan- 
bury,  the  noise  of  reveling  was  borne  broad- 
cast on  the  night  air. 

"  It  was  hideous,"  he  explained  to  Desire 
on  Sunday  morning.  His  sister  had  crossed 
the  country  with  Minto  on  the  old  farm  horse, 
and  found  David  in  his  soldier  gear,  mud- 
bespattered   and   weather-stained   like  some 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     121 

veteran  in  the  service.  They  were  following 
the  British,  who  had  left  Danburj  and  made 
toward  Ridgefield. 

"  I  knew  Tryon  would  never  rest  satisfied 
with  the  destruction  of  military  stores.  For 
months,  he  has  been  intent  on  burning  the 
shore  towns.  And  no  sooner  did  he  finish 
the  supplies  than  his  drunken  crew  began  to 
insult  the  women,  abuse  the  children,  and 
breathe  out  threatenings  against  the  village. 
I  never  heard  such  stories  of  goings-on  be- 
fore. And  toward  mornino^  the  wretches 
began  to  fire  the  houses  and  stores." 

The  brother  and  sister  were  standino^  on 
one  of  the  hills  to  the  west  of  the  place. 
The  signs  and  sounds  of  war  came  to  them 
from  every  side. 

"  But,  David,"  interrupted  Desire,  "  you 
will  have  to  go  on  with  the  militia,  won't 
you?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  're  going  in  pursuit  of  them. 
But,  Desire,  I  've  been  a-thinking  this  morn- 
ing how  to  reconcile  God's  sovereignty  over 
these  brutes  with  their  free-will  acts.  It 
never  struck  me  with  greater  force  than  to- 
day.    I "  — 

"  Oh,  David,  don't  get  to  thinking  about  it 
at  all.     You  must  go   ahead  and  fight  the 


122  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

miscreants.  It  makes  my  heart  bleed  to  see 
it.  Go,  David,  go  in  the  strength  of  the 
Lord.  I'm  running  down  into  Danbury,  or 
what 's  left  of  it,  to  see  if  there  is  anything 
that  I  can  do,  and  by  and  by  Minto  and  I 
Avill  ride  home." 

As  Desire  spoke,  she  sought  to  brush  ofP 
some  of  the  dirt  from  the  clothes  of  her 
brother,  then,  giving  him  a  hearty  kiss  and  a 
"  God  bless  you,"  sent  him  forward  with  scores 
of  scattered  men,  who  hurried  without  regard 
to  order  in  the  direction  of  the  retreating 
enemy. 

Desire  reached  home  late  in  the  evening, 
a  tragic  figure.  She  had  stayed  in  Danbury 
Ion  Of  enouofh  to  mark  the  horrors  of  such  a 
scourge  as  had  swej)t  over  the  village.  Meet- 
ing some  acquaintances  made  homeless  on  that 
day,  she  persuaded  them  to  go  with  her  and 
accept  a  temporary  shelter.  Sympathizing 
with  them  in  their  misery,  she  sought  by 
every  encouraging  word  to  sustain  their  droop- 
ing spirits  ;  but  it  was  hard  work,  and  the 
stern  realities  of  war  pressed  upon  them. 

It  was  eveninof  when  Desire  and  her  com- 
panions  reached  Fairfield,  the  evening  of  the 
blackest  day  in  her  remembrance.  For  well- 
nigh  all  the  male  inhabitants  had  gone  in 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     123 

pursuit  of  Try  on  and  his  horde,  so  that  the 
place  was  absolutely  Avithout  defense ;  and 
should  the  invaders  swoop  down  suddenly 
upon  it,  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  fold 
one's  hands  and  gaze  upon  whatever  work  of 
ruin  they  might  choose  to  do. 

Few  people  in  that  part  of  the  land  laid 
their,  heads  on  a  pillow  Sunday  night,  for  the 
next  move  was  uncertain,  and  it  was  felt  that 
however  brave  and  ready  the  Connecticut 
militia  might  be,  they  did  not  have  the  num- 
bers or  the  equipment  to  cope  successfully 
with  the  much  larger  forces  of  the  enemy. 

It  was  a  night  of  extraordinary  strain  for 
Desire.  She  felt  that  she  ought  to  be  with 
David,  and  yet  duty  seemed  to  indicate  that 
her  place  was  at  home.  How  she  longed  for 
news  !     What  wild  fears  tortured  her  1 

"  I  'm  sure  they  must  have  done  hard  fight- 
ino^  this  afternoon."  Desire  was  talking^  with 
Lois  and  Chloe.  "  I  heard  the  roar  of  mus- 
ketry and  cannon  before  we  left  Danbury. 
Oh,  will  the  day  never  come  ? "  And  then 
she  turned  to  the  spinning-wheel,  so  that  her 
mind  might  be  diverted. 

At  midnight,  a  messenger  came  into  town 
saying  that  there  had  been  a  battle  at  Ridge- 
field.     Tryon  was  reported  to  have  changed 


124  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

liis  course  of  retreat,  made  for  this  village 
built  on  ridges  overlooking  the  Sound,  and 
there  turned  upon  the  militia. 

Toward  morning,  David  appeared.  He  had 
been  dispatched  on  business  to  Holland  Hill, 
and  General  Silliman  gave  him  permission  to 
stop  a  few  moments  in  Fairfield  and  describe 
the  condition  of  affairs. 

'-  Oh,  tell  us,  David,  all  about  the  fight. 
Did  you  kill  anybody  ?  " 

It  was  Lois  that  made  the  inquiry,  with 
both  hope  and  fear  in  her  voice.  It  seemed 
an  awful  thing  to  shoot  a  person,  even  if  he 
was  an  enemy  of  one's  country;  then  again 
she  reasoned  that  every  wretch  who  ravaged 
the  coast,  preying  upon  the  colonists,  ought  to 
be  shot  dead  in  his  tracks.  The  child  was 
tossed  to  and  fro  between  conflicting  emo- 
tions. 

"  Yes,  Lois,"  replied  the  brother,  who  might 
now  be  aptly  termed  a  cross  between  a  di- 
vinity student  and  a  soldier,  "  I  killed  my 
man." 

David  and  his  hearers  shuddered.  It  was 
not  the  kind  of  answer  anticipated.  Desire 
had  no  doubt  respecting  his  ability  to  carry 
messages  and  attend  to  various  details  of  pre- 
paration and   management.     She    had   even 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     125 

dared  hope  that  he  might  hit  two  or  three 
redcoats  in  the  legs  or  arms^  so  that  they 
would  be  unfit  for  fiQ^htinof-.  David  was  a 
capital  shot.  But  she  had  not  dreamed  of 
his  taking  human  life.  It  did  not  look  well 
for  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of  peace  to  kill 
a  man.  Was  not  David  the  same  as  a  min- 
ister ?  He  had  read  and  studied  several  years 
with  Mr.  Eliot.  When  the  war  ended  and 
affairs  settled  down  to  normal  conditions,  he 
would  take  a  church. 

"Why,  David  Hardy!"  exclaimed  the 
startled  child. 

"  The  Lo'd  hah  mercy  on  us.  You 's  sure, 
Massa  David  ? "  And  Chloe.  gazed  awe- 
stricken  upon  him. 

David  was  a  distressing  object  to  behold. 
His  clothes  were  not  only  soiled  and  disar- 
ranged, but  were  torn  and  blood-stained.  He 
had  lost  the  wig  which  he  usually  wore  —  one 
of  Duane's  handsome  extravagances,  —  and 
his  military  hat.  The  young  man  had  black 
circles  around  his  sunken  eyes,  his  face  being 
unshaven  and  drawn  with  deep  lines  of  pain. 
He  was  well-nigh  fagged  out,  having  taken  no 
sleep  for  three  nights,  and  half  starved,  since 
a  scarcity  of  provisions  prevailed,  and  there 
had  been  scant  time  to  search  for  food. 


126  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  I  could  n't  help  it/'  said  David,  with  hol- 
low voice  and  deprecating  manner.  "  Likely  as 
not,  the  fellow's  face  will  haunt  me  to  the  day 
of  my  death."  As  he  spoke,  David  uncon- 
sciously put  his  hand  over  his  eyes,  as  if  he 
wished  to  shut  out  some  hideous  vision  that 
persisted  in  rising  before  him. 

"You  were  doing  your  duty,  weren't  you, 
David?"  Love  and  trust  were  in  the  words 
which  Desire  uttered. 

"  Yes,  yes.  IE  I  had  n't  killed  him,  he  'd 
have  killed  me." 

There  was  an  instant  revulsion  of  feeling. 
Any  pity  or  regret  that  might  have  been  de- 
tected a  moment  before  disappeared.  There 
was  a  sudden  flaming  of  passion  in  the  faces 
of  his  hearers.  Desire  flung  her  arms  about 
her  brother  and  clung  to  him,  as  she  gave 
way  to  her  emotion.  Lois  sobbed  hysterically, 
crying,  "  I  wish  you  'd  killed  them  all,  the 
devils ! " 

"  Bless  de  Lo'd  !  you 's  safe  an'  soun',  chile. 
Bless  de  Lo'd,  bless  de  Lo'd  !  "  And  Chloe 
wiped  her  eyes,  clapping  her  hands  in  joy  and 
thanksgiving.  "  Come,  honey,  you 's  hungry. 
Sit  right  down  and  old  mammy  '11  feed  ye." 

Breaking  the  thread  of  conversation,  Chloe 
pushed  David  into  a  chair  before  the  kitchen 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORE     127 

table,  and  set  before  bim  a  very  feast  of  good 
tbino^s. 

It  was  only  a  few  moments  tbat  be  stayed, 
long  enougb  to  satisfy  tbe  cravings  of  bunger 
and  give  a  brief  account  of  tbe  state  of  tbings 
in  Ridgefield ;  tben  be  was  off  for  tbe  scene 
of  conflict. 

It  was  late  tbe  following  afternoon  tbat  tbe 
sisters  bad  gone  to  tbe  bouse  of  Mrs.  Gould, 
to  inquire  if  furtber  report  bad  come.  Tbis 
lady  witb  ber  cbildren  was  waiting  anxiously 
for  tbe  return  of  some  soldier  or  messenger 
wbo  migbt  ease  tbeir  minds  and  gladden  tbem 
witb  good  news. 

"  David  saw  us  a  few  moments  last  nigbt," 
said  Desire.  ^^He  brougbt  a  message  from 
General  Silliman.  Ob,  Mrs.  Gould,  war  is 
borrible.     Wben  will  it  be  over  !  " 

"  Tbere  was  a  man  tried  to  sboot  David," 
interrupted  Lois,  "  and  David  killed  bim." 

"  Did  be  ?  did  be  ?  "  Tbe  cbildren  were  all 
talking  at  once  in  tbeir  excitement. 

But  wbat  is  tbat  down  tbe  street,  printed 
aofainst  tbe  evenina*  borizon  ?  A  cavalcade  of 
soldiers,  surely.  And  some  one  leads  tbe  mid- 
dle borse,  and  tbe  rider  seems  strangely  stiff 
and  unresponsive.  Is  it  a  wounded  man  tbat 
tbey  bave  set  bolt  uprigbt,  and  are  bis  comrades 


128  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

riding  close  by  his  side  in  order  that  they 
may  aid  or  support  him?  His  sword  dangles 
carelessly  in  its  place,  and  the  crimson  sash  is 
bound  in  orderly  way  across  the  breast.  He 
has  returned  from  the  fight,  and  he  looks 
neither  to  the  right  nor  left.  It  w^as  love  that 
first  distinguished  the  martial  figure. 

"  My  husband,  my  husband !  "  cried  Mrs. 
Gould.  But  as  the  little  company  approached, 
it  grew  evident  that  not  all  was  right.  The 
"watchful  spouse  observed  no  lifting  of  the 
hand  in  salutation.  A  rigid  posture  and  a 
blindness  to  surroundings  foretold  some  dire 
calamity. 

The  friends  veiled  their  faces  in  the  pre- 
sence of  awful  tragedy.  Colonel  Gould  had 
given  his  life  for  the  love  of  country.  This 
last  march  from  the  hills  over  west  to  the 
stately  home  of  his  illustrious  ancestors  had 
been  a  dead  march.  Stark  and  cold,  astride 
the  horse  gayly  caparisoned,  this  noble  gentle- 
man and  grand  patriot,  having  fought  his 
fight  and  finished  his  course,  left  to  family 
and  successors  the  inspiration  of  an  honored, 
lofty  character,  and  the  treasures  of  many 
good  works  well  done. 

It  was  late  the  next  day  before  David 
returned,  grimy  and  aged  with  war. 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  FORK     129 

"  We  did  the  best  we  could/'  said  the 
young  soldier.  "  We  drove  them  to  their 
boats.  If  the  country  had  n't  risen  in  arms, 
they  'd  have  swept  over  us  like  a  tornado,  and 
destroyed  everything  they  could  lay  their 
hands  on.  I  'm  thinking  they  did  n't  find  it 
the  easy  task  that  they  expected.  And  we  '11 
make  it  hotter  for  them  another  time." 

"  You  had  a  real  battle,  did  you,  David, 
and  men  were  wounded  or  dead  in  the  streets 
and  fields?"  Lois  was  eagerly  watching 
every  change  of  expression  in  her  brother's 
face. 

"  Yes,  child,  but  the  noise  and  confusion 
was  so  great,  and  there  was  such  a  lack  of 
discipline  among  our  troops,  that  I  found  it 
hard  to  keep  track  of  the  fight.  The  regu- 
lars had  all  the  advantage,  and  they  moved 
like  a  piece  of  clockwork,  although  the  amount 
of  rum  they  drank  at  Danbury  w^as  enough  to 
paralyze  a  host  of  common  men.  General 
Wooster  fell,  you  know.  I  think  a  good 
many  of  our  men  were  dazed.  It  was  the 
first  time  they  had  ever  seen  war  in  earnest, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  hold  them  tog-ether  and 
make  them  obey  orders.  I  heard  General 
Wooster  try  to  rally  them,  shouting,  '  Come 
on,  my  boys,  never  mind  such  random  shots.' 


130  AN   UNKNOWN  PATEIOT 

It  was  while  he  was  in  the  van,  urging  the 
troops  forward,  that  he  was  wounded,  and 
they  say  he  will  die.  And  there  was  Colonel 
Gould  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  rallying 
his  men,  and  he  fell "  — 

"  Yes,"  cried  Lois,  "  we  saw  them  when 
they  brought  his  body  home  on  his  horse ; 
and  poor  Mrs.  Gould  is  heartbroken,  and  the 
children  wailed  so  you  could  hear  them  down 
the  street." 

"  God  pity  them  !  "  said  David  fervently. 

"  What  did  Colonel  Dimon  do  ?  "  inquired 
Desire. 

He  had  seen  lively  service,  having  been  on 
Montgomery's  staff  in  the  expedition  to  Can- 
ada in  1775. 

"  Oh,  he  had  command  of  the  barricades 
in  Eidgefield,  and  fought  like  a  tiger.  He  's 
a  great  soldier.  He  chased  the  redcoats  to 
Compo,  and  picked  off  many  a  straggler. 
And  General  Arnold  was  a  hero.  But  I 
never  saw  a  man  go  hither  and  thither  like 
General  Silliman.  He  seemed  to  keep  the 
whole  thinof  in  mind  all  the  time.  He  must 
be  half  dead  for  want  of  sleep  and  rest." 

"  They  've  gone  over  to  Long  Island,  have 
they  ?  "  inquired  Desu'e. 

"  Yes,  I  think  the  fight  is  over,  although 


BILLY  THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     131 

they  may  try  it  again.  We  must  be  ready  for 
them,  however,  but  in  my  opinion  they  '11  go 
back  to  New  York." 

"  If  they  don't  ?  "  Desire  looked  eagerly 
at  David. 

"  General  Silliman  thinks  the  next  place 
to  suffer  will  be  Fairfield.  But  we  're  go- 
ing to  ask  the  governor  for  soldiers  to  help 
us.  You  see  Governor  Trumbull  is  such  an 
obliging  man  that  he  sends  all  our  troops  to 
Washington,  and  so  leaves  us  almost  unpro- 
tected. That 's  what  they  're  all  saying  about 
him.  It  seems  to  me  that  Connecticut  is 
doing  more  than  her  share  of  the  work.  I 
don't  complain.  I  'm  glad  to  have  her  do 
all  in  her  power,  but  it  is  n't  right  to  hand 
us  over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  Billy  the 
Butcher ! " 

"  Good  name  for  old  Tryon,  is  n't  it  ?  " 
exclaimed  Lois.  "  He  was  in  his  element 
when  handling  pork  at  Danbury,  was  n't  he  ? 
—  Billy  the  Butcher  !  " 

"  It  was  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  New  York 
that  gave  him  the  name,"  answered  David. 
"  Does  n't  it  fit  him  to  a  ^  .^  The  Sons  of 
Liberty  have  made  it  lively  for  Tryon  ever 
since  he  came  north.  I  was  talking  with 
Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges,  secretary  for  the  order 


132  AN  UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

in  Connecticut,  you  know  ;  he  says,  we  owe 
this  secret  organization  a  great  debt  of  grati- 
tude for  their  splendid  services.  Colonel 
Lamb,  who  was  wounded  at  Compo,  is  one  of 
their  most  active  members.  They  're  going 
to  bring  him  to  Fairfield  for  some  of  you  girls 
to  nurse.  It 's  only  a  few  days  ago  that  he 
sent  his  wife  and  family  away  from  Stratford 
back  into  the  hills  of  Litchfield  "  — 

"  Well,  David,"  interrupted  Lois,  "  I  'd  be 
a  Son  of  Liberty  if  I  was  a  man,  and  I  've  no 
doubt  Colonel  Lamb  and  the  New  York 
patriots  are  doing  their  best,  but  I  'm  proud 
of  Connecticut.  It 's  the  greatest  colony  in 
the  world,"  she  continued,  in  her  childish 
enthusiasm.  "  How  I  would  like  to  be  gov- 
ernor some  day ! " 

"  You  '11  have  to  rest  satisfied  with  being 
a  governor's  wife,"  said  David,  as  he  patted 
his  young  sister  on  the  head,  and  bent  his 
weather-beaten  face  down  to  kiss  her. 

"  It  must  have  been  an  awful  sight,  as  you 
followed  along  the  path  of  the  enemy's  re- 
treat," observed  Desire. 

"It  was,  it  was,"  answered  her  brother. 
"  Broken  fences,  burning  buildings,  castaway 
garments,  patches  of  blood,  here  and  there 
a  broken  musket  or  some  other  weapon,  dead 


BILLY   THE  BUTCHER  BROILS  PORK     133 

horses  and  demolished  wagons,  waste  supphes, 
or  half -stripped  corpses,  —  it  makes  one  heart- 
sick." 

"  But  it 's  the  price  of  liberty,  David,"  the 
older  sister  continued,  with  solemn  voice, 
"  and  in  spite  of  these  horrors,  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  in  it." 


CHAPTER  X 

UNDER  THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS 

"  Well,  young  man,  you  had  a  safe  return 
from  Connecticut,  I  see."  General  Tryon 
was  speaking  to  Duane  Livingstone,  as  they 
stood  on  the  Battery  facing  each  other. 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,  your  Ex- 
cellency." An  expression  of  surprise  and 
annoyance  crossed  the  speaker's  countenance. 

"  I  mean,  sir,  that  I  saw  you  both  at  Dan- 
bury  and  Ridgefield.  If  I  may  judge  from 
the  character  of  your  actions,  you  have  at 
last  declared  on  which  side  the  fence  you 
stand ;  and  " —  with  an  oath  — "  if  I  do  my 
duty,  you  will  be  placed  under  arrest  as  my 
prisoner  this  very  day." 

"  You  are  evidently  laboring  under  a  mis- 
apprehension. General  Tryon.  I  have  not 
been  absent  from  New  York  any  day  the  past 
two  weeks,  a  statement  which  I  can  prove  by 
any  number  of  witnesses  you  may  desire." 

"  Then  you  must  have  a  double,"  said  the 
governor  harshly. 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  135 

"  Well,  I  have  a  cousin  in  Fairfield  who 
does  bear  a  resemblance  to  me.  It  is  possible 
that  he  was  the  man  you  saw.  I  have  not 
heard  from  the  colony  since  your  return." 

The  choler  of  Governor  Tryon  abated,  his 
voice  assuming  a  more  friendly  tone. 

"  Well,  my  man,  it  behooves  you  to  keep 
yourself  in  good  company,  or  I  may  have 
something  of  a  serious  nature  to  say  to  you 
one  of  these  days." 

The  general  was  still  somewhat  crusty,  and 
they  parted  on  terms  not  especially  cordial. 

General  Tryon  ivas  mistaken.  Duane  Liv- 
ingstone had  been  in  New  York  when  the 
stores  at  Danbury  were  destroyed ;  but  it 
was  not  later  than  two  hours  after  this  in- 
terview that  the  young  man  succeeded  in 
leaving  the  city  and  galloping  away  toward 
Fairfield. 

"  People  seem  to  be  a  good  deal  excited 
along  the  shore,"  said  Duane. 

It  was  early  in  May,  nature  all  alive  with 
the  impulse  of  spring,  and  the  day  fragrant 
with  the  first  apple  blossoms. 

"  Had  you  seen  what  we  saw,  it  would  n't 
surprise  you  to  find  our  folks  restless  and 
suspicious." 

It   was    Desire   that   answered,    and   they 


136  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

were  walking  under  the  trees  in  the  orchard. 
All  unconscious  to  herself,  she  was  now  and 
again  reaching  up  to  some  low  -  hanging 
bough,  breaking  off  beautiful  clusters,  half 
buds,  half  blossoms,  weaving  them  into  her 
hair,  or  thrusting  them  into  her  belt,  or  press- 
ing them  against  her  bosom,  an  act  significant 
of  sweetest,  subtlest  witchery. 

"  Desire,"  said  the  cousin,  with  look  and 
tone  of  the  most  ardent  lover^  "  you  are  very 
beautiful." 

"  And  is  that  the  way  you  flatter  your- 
self ?  "  She  spoke  in  a  light,  provoking  way. 
"  For  you  know  very  well  that  everybody  says 
you  and  David  and  I  look  near  enough  alike 
to  be  triplets." 

"  Desire,  you  're  no  more  like  me  than 
white  is  like  black." 

"  I  know  it,"  she  answered.  "  How  deceit- 
ful looks  are  !  What  was  it  the  Lord  said 
to  Samuel  when  he  admired  Eliab  and  was 
going  to  anoint  him  king  ?  '  Look  not  on 
his  countenance  .  .  .  for  the  Lord  seeth  not 
as  man  seeth;  for  man  looketh  on  the  out- 
ward appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the 
heart.'  " 

"  You  're  a  great  Bible  scholar,  almost  as 
wise  as  my  mother,  Desire.     You  ought  to 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  137 

follow  lip  her  teaching  and  see  what  you  can 
make  of  me.  Heavens  !  how  I  wish  this  war 
was  ended.  It  blocks  everything.  Why,  I 
never  come  to  Fairfield  that  it  does  n't  take 
all  the  planning  and  manoeuvring  I  can  com- 
pass. I  run  such  a  gauntlet  of  sharp  eyes 
that  one  might  think  I  was  the  Foul  Fiend 
himself  let  loose  for  a  short  vacation  under 
the  watch-care  of  every  man,  woman,  and 
child  between  here  and  my  native  city." 

The  young  man  was  evidently  appealing  to 
the  sympathy  of  his  hearer. 

"  Well,  I  think  you  run  too  great  risks. 
It  is  n't  wise  or  necessary  for  you  to  come 
so  often.  Something  dreadful  will  happen. 
Then  Aunt  Esther  will  say  that  your  blood 
is  upon  our  heads.  I  know  she  considers  it 
foolish  for  you  to  go  back  and  forth  every 
week  or  two." 

"  Now  I  think  that 's  very  unkind."  Duane 
spoke  with  feeling.  "  Is  n't  my  coming  to 
Fairfield  the  only  happiness  that  is  left  me 
these  days?  You  know  that  nearly  every- 
body in  New  York  regards  me  with  indiffer- 
ence or  suspicion.  Why,  General  Try  on  him- 
self accused  me  of  being  at  Danbury  and 
Ridgefield ;  said  that  he  saw  me  there,  and 
was  now  glad  to  know  on  which  side  the  fence 


138  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

I  was.  That 's  pleasant,  is  n't  it  ?  Of  course 
it  was  David  he  saw.  Confound  this  family 
resemblance !  I  suppose  I  shall  hang  for  it 
one  of  these  days,  unless  the  war  ends  soon." 

"  Oh,  Duane,  Duane,  don't  speak  like 
that ! "  Desire  placed  her  hands  upon  his 
shoulder,  and  looked  seriously,  beseechingly 
into  his  face.  "  I  don't  like  to  have  you  run 
unnecessary  risks.  There  are  enough  perils 
for  us  all  without  courting  needless  ones." 

^'  Desire,  I  care  nothing  for  perils,  so  long 
as  you  give  me  the  assurance  of  your  love." 

"  Duane,  this  is  not  a  time  to  talk  about 
love,  unless  it  is  love  of  country.  Did  n't  I 
tell  you  what  one  of  our  Connecticut  parsons 
said  to  the  maidens  in  his  congregation  ? 
^  Have  nothing  to  do  with  a  man  that  will 
not  take  up  arms  in  defense  of  Hberty  ! ' 
Many  a  young  woman  has  sent  her  lover  into 
the  war.  I  beheve  in  the  greatness  of  our 
opportunity,  the  grandeur  of  our  destiny. 
When  I  hear  the  patriots  talk  that  come  to 
Mr.  Burr's  or  Mr.  Sturges's  or  General  Silli- 
man's,  when  I  see  Washington  (I  've  seen 
him  twice,  you  know),  and  Mr.  Adams  (he  's 
stopped  here  several  times),  and  Colonel  Han- 
cock, and  Benjamin  Franklin  (he 's  stayed 
here  overnight  too),  and  all  the  brave,  noble 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  139 

men  that  visit  our  town,  and  hear  them  dis- 
course with  eloquence,  and  tell  about  the 
deeds  of  courao-e  and  the  wonderful  sacrifices 
of  our  men,  I  am  all  aflame  with  a  passion 
for  liberty.  Can  I  think  of  aught  else  ? 
Why  can't  I  go  to  war  and  do  something 
worth  naming  for  the  success  of  our  arms  ?  " 

Clad  in  her  simple  gown  of  homespun  linen, 
decked  with  fresh  apple  blossoms,  her  face 
illumined  with  the  glory  of  a  real  consecra- 
tion to  the  cause  of  American  independence, 
who  could  withstand  such  enthusiasm? 

There  was  a  moment's  pause. 

"Have  you  heard  from  Aaron  Burr  late- 
ly?" Duane  regarded  his  companion  with 
close  scrutiny. 

"  Yes,  I  've  seen  him  since  you  were  here, 
and  I  've  had  a  letter  since  the  attack  upon 
Danbury.  I  grow  proud  of  him  every  time 
I  am  told  how  he  bears  himself.  Why 
shouldn't  we  be  glad  that  he  shows  such 
spirit  ?  Is  n't  he  our  cousin  ?  —  is  it  second 
or  third  remove  ?  Well,  what  difference  does 
it  make  ?  I  wish  there  were  a  thousand  more 
like  him.  And  he  does  write  the  gayest, 
brightest  letters  that  you  ever  read.  General 
Silliman  does  n't  know  yet  that  it  was  Aaron 
Burr  who  saved  him  and  his  battalion  from 


140  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

being  taken  prisoners  when  the  enemy  gained 
possession  of  New  York.  All  the  rest  of  the 
army  had  retreated,  but  General  Silliman  was 
holding  his  post.  The  redcoats  had  landed 
between  him  and  the  other  divisions,  and  he 
was  cut  off  from  communication  with  the 
Continentals.  Burr  saw  the  danger,  galloped 
over  to  General  Silliman,  and  told  him  to  save 
himself  and  his  men,  but  General  Silliman 
said  he  had  been  ordered  to  hold  that  post 
until  he  was  commanded  to  withdraw.  Then 
Burr  galloped  behind  one  of  the  hills,  and 
soon  returned  with  an  improvised  order  for 
him  to  move  on  the  instant,  and  he  did.  It 
was  a  bold,  reckless  thing  for  Aaron  to  do, 
but  he  can  do  that  kind  of  a  thing  when 
other  people  would  fail.  When  General  Silli- 
man wrote  to  his  wife  from  the  camp  four 
miles  below  King's  Bridge,  I  remember  that 
he  said  his  way  was  hedged  up,  but  the  Lord 
opened  it.  So  you  see  it  was  Aaron  Burr 
that  the  Lord  used  to  open  the  way." 

"  Very  interesting,"  said  Duane,  when  De- 
sire finished  her  story.  "  I  wish  you  were  as 
loyal  to  all  your  cousins  as  you  are  to  Aaron 
Burr.  He  's  very  good  in  his  way.  I  rather 
like  him,  but  he  makes  love  to  every  girl  that 
he  meets  in  all  his  campaigning.     I  hear  of 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  141 

it  from  a  dozen  sources.  I  suppose  he  finds 
it  diverting  and  restful  after  such  prodigious 
valor  in  the  field." 

"  You  ought  not  to  speak  in  that  way,  and 
you  know  it.  I  suppose  he  does  admire  the 
ladies.  That 's  nothing  against  him.  You 
do,  don't  you?" 

The  exalted  look  on  Desire's  face  had  given 
place  to  one  of  annoyance.  She  was  ready 
to  jest  with  her  cousin  and  entertain  him, 
but  her  heart  was  in  the  great  struggle  for 
freedom.  Circumstances  had  favored  Desire 
with  a  large  acquaintance  among  the  patriots 
of  Connecticut  and  some  of  the  other  colonies. 
It  was  not  alone  that  men  like  the  Adamses 
and  TrumbuUs  and  Hancock  and  Quincy 
stayed  long  enough  in  town  to  impart  their 
own  zeal  and  faith  to  the  people  that  they 
met,  but  it  was  quite  as  much  because  a  notable 
galaxy  of  young  heroes  shed  more  or  less  of 
their  radiance  in  the  neighborhood,  inspiring 
their  associates  to  lofty  sentiments  and  actions. 

When  Nathan  Hale  set  forth  on  his  peril- 
ous adventure  as  a  spy,  it  was  whispered  that 
he  came  to  Fairfield  with  a  letter  introducing 
him  to  the  Committee  of  Safety,  requesting 
them  to  furnish  him  with  a  whaleboat  pro- 
perly equipped  and  any  other  necessary  help. 


142  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  see  that  he  was  carried  to  whatever  point 
he  desired.  Rumor  said  that  the  letter  was 
written  by  Washington. 

The  young  man  had  met  Desire  and  David 
when  he  was  teaching  school  at  Wethersfield. 
When  the  struggle  began,  it  was  known  to 
them  that  he  gladly  cast  in  his  fortunes  with 
the  colonies.  He  left  Fairfield  in  September, 
after  a  memorable  interview  with  the  brother 
and  sister.  His  manliness,  nobility,  utter  self- 
abnegation,  and  the  frank  gratitude  that  he 
was  permitted  to  die,  if  need  be,  for  his  native 
land,  made  ineffaceable  impression  upon  the 
young  people  of  the  Hardy  family. 

Then  Aaron  Burr  had  not  been  without 
his  influence  upon  them.  He  was  one  hard 
to  resist  when  once  his  powers  were  exerted 
on  behalf  of  any  cherished  plan  or  interest, 
and  he  was  quite  as  ardent  and  intense  in  his 
patriotism  as  in  his  love-making.  The  pre- 
sence of  such  a  man  in  a  community  is  suffi- 
cient explanation  of  any  extraordinary  spirit. 

Among  the  friends  of  Nathan  Hale  was  a 
college  contemporary  named  Benjamin  Tall- 
madge.  The  two  had  been  correspondents 
since  college  days,  and  Tallmadge  was  eager 
to  throw  himself  into  the  conflict.  He  likewise 
was  a  frequent  guest  in  town,  known  to  David 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  143 

and  Desire,  finding  in  them  congenial  helpers 
in  numerous  schemes  of  patriotic  service. 

"  Captain  Tallmadge  has  been  to  see  us 
since  your  last  visit/'  continued  Desire.  "  He 
grows  more  interesting  as  he  gets  deeper  into 
public  affairs.  His  accounts  of  the  service 
are  the  most  fascinating  narratives  I  ever 
heard  in  my  life.  He  was  telling  me  about 
the  tumble  he  got  last  October  when  General 
Washington  removed  his  army  up  to  White 
Plains.  He  was  on  horseback,  crossing  the 
Bronx,  when  Mr.  Trumbull  —  the  chaplain, 
you  know,  you  've  met  him  at  General  Silli- 
man's  —  sprang  up  behind  him  with  such 
force  that  he  and  his  accoutrements,  with  the 
chaplain  himself,  were  all  carried  pellmell 
into  the  river.  In  the  scrabble  to  reach  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  they  were  delayed,  so 
that  the  Hessians  came  up  and  thought  they 
had  caught  a  prisoner  or  two  ;  but  at  that  very 
moment  our  troops  swooped  down  that  way, 
and  poured  such  a  destructive  fire  upon  the 
Hessian  column  that  it  wavered,  and  Captain 
Tallmadge  had  the  chance  to  make  for  Gen- 
eral Washington's  headquarters,  where  he 
informed  him  about  the  situation  of  our  sol- 
diers on  Chadderton's  Hill,  —  a  very  narrow 
escape,  and  I  don't  know  how  many  he  has 


144  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

had.  General  Washino^ton  seems  to  like  him. 
The  captain 's  been  spending  the  winter  at 
Wethersfield  with  his  Second  Regiment  of 
Light  Dragoons,  training  and  breaking  horses 
for  the  coming  campaign." 

"  Well,  Desire,  you  are  well  informed  on 
the  fight.  I  suppose  you  correspond  with  all 
the  young  gallants  that  visit  you  and  David 
so  long  as  they  stay  in  the  army  ?  "  There 
was  a  shading  of  vexation  in  the  tone  of  the 
inquirer. 

"  I  suppose  you  think  it 's  very  bold  and 
unmaiden-like  for  me  to  write  a  letter  to  Aaron 
Burr,  or  Captain  Tallmadge,  or  Colonel  Di- 
mon.  Well,  Duane,  I  '11  relieve  your  mind. 
I  let  David  do  the  writing,  and  I  dictate.  Is 
that  proper  ?  "  Desire  looked  amiably  at  her 
cousin. 

"  Oh,  I  suppose,  so  long  as  David  does 
your  letter- writing  and  puts  his  own  name  to 
it,  nobody  can  find  any  fault.  But,  Desire, 
you  must  remember  now  that  grandfather  is 
gone,  and  you  are  the  woman  of  the  home- 
stead, that  it  is  n't  wise  or  safe  to  go  against 
the  proprieties.  Your  good  name  is  too  pre- 
cious, and  there  is  no  telling  what  advantage 
might  be  taken  of  any   mistake  or  careless- 


ness." 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  145 

Desire  looked  troubled.  It  was  not  plea- 
sant to  be  lectured  by  her  cousin.  She  felt 
that  it  was  undeserved,  and  yet  her  pro- 
tests were  unspoken ;  for  she  feared  that 
Duane  might  possibly  have  an  inkling  of  cer- 
tain risks  which  she  had  run  in  the  discharge 
of  what  she  esteemed  her  duty.  There  was 
a  shadow  of  mystery  clinging  to  the  home  of 
the  Hardy  family  these  days  which  one  and 
another  neighbor  had  secretly  observed. 

The  brother  and  sister  had  manifested 
trivial  eccentricities,  and  a  certain  freedom 
was  given  them  by  public  opinion  and  suf- 
ferance. David  was  good,  his  neighbors 
remarked,  but  he  was  not  a  safe  dependence. 
In  scholarship  and  moral  integrity,  in  kind- 
ness, hard  work,  and  lofty  purpose,  he  set  a 
worthy  pattern  ;  but  he  was  not  always  practi- 
cal, and  he  had  a  way  of  losing  himself  that 
proved  embarrassing  to  everybody  concerned. 
All  the  time  that  Desire  and  her  cousin  were 
talking  under  the  trees  in  the  orchard,  David 
had  stood  by  the  barn  door,  his  hand  grasp- 
ing the  horse's  bridle,  his  head  bent  forward 
in  severe  and  exactinQr-  thouo;ht.  It  was  evi- 
dent  that  some  grave  problem  vexed  him. 

Minto,  the  old  slave,  was  a  faithful  soul, 
but  he  lacked  the  brains  to  manage  a  farm. 


146  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

So  long  as  David  directed  liim  and  stayed  in 
his  company,  Minto  did  well ;  but  when  left 
to  himself,  there  was  a  ludicrous  failure. 
Chloe,  to  be  sure,  was  always  ready  with  her 
ad\dce5  and  able  to  help  in  field  or  garden ; 
still,  it  was  poor  service,  and  since  the  school- 
master had  gone,  it  seemed  harder  than  ever 
to  make  ends  meet. 

Desire  was  brave  and  trustful  all  the  time, 
schooling  herself  to  see  the  bright  side  of 
things,  yet  it  grew  plainer  every  day  that 
affairs  must  take  a  favorable  turn,  or  the 
Hardy  family  would  come  face  to  face  with 
poverty. 

"  Desire,  Desire  !  "  It  was  Lois  calling  in 
the  distance,  as  she  ran  in  from  the  street. 
She  was  bringing  news,  and  her  face  betrayed 
pride  and  exultation. 

"  Desire,  Mrs.  Smedley  's  had  a  letter  from 
her  husband ;  he  's  a  captain  now,  and  he  's 
taken  I  don't  know  how  many  prizes.  One 
had  three  thousand  barrels  of  provisions." 

The  cousins  hastened  toward  the  house,  as 
the  child  shouted  the  good  news. 

"  David,  David  !  "  she  called,  in  shrill  ac- 
cents. "  Do  you  hear  ?  What  are  you  stand- 
ing there  with  that  horse  for,  when  I  've  got 
something  exciting  to  tell  you  ?     Mr.  Smedley 


UNDER   THE  APPLE  BLOSSOMS  147 

is  a  captain,  and  he  's  taken  the  Snow  Swift, 
the  Anna,  and  the  bark  Lydia  with  ten  guns, 
and  the  Grog  (is  n't  that  a  good  name  for  a 
ship  that  carries  rum  between  here  and  the 
West  Indies?).     Mrs.    Smedley 's  wild  with 

joy." 

"'^  Glad  to  hear  it,  glad  to  hear  it,"  an- 
swered David,  as  he  dropped  the  bridle  and 
ran  toward  the  house,  having  been  awakened 
from  his  state  of  absent-mindedness.  "  Why, 
there  's  Duane.  Where  did  you  come  from, 
my  gallant  ?  What  is  the  latest  word  from 
New  York?" 


CHAPTER  XI 

A    PRISONER    OF    WAR 

"  I  AM  very  anxious  to  obtain  a  true  ac- 
count of  what  is  passing  in  New  York."  This 
was  the  summer  of  1778,  and  General  Wash- 
ington was  talking  to  one  of  his  aids,  the 
Continental  army  being  encamped  at  White 
Plains.  "  I  wish  you  could  fix  upon  some 
officer  at  Danbury  in  whose  discretion  your 
correspondent  would  be  willing  to  confide/' 
continued  the  general.  "  It  would  be  better 
for  the  correspondent  to  reside  in  New  York, 
and  mix  with  and  put  on  the  airs  of  a  Tory, 
to  cover  his  real  character  and  avoid  suspi- 
cion. 

"  I  think  that  a  satisfactory  arrangement 
can  be  made,  sir,"  was  the  reply  of  Major 
Tallmadge. 

A  few  days  later,  the  young  officer  was  a 
guest  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges 
in  Fairfield. 

The  Secret  Service  in  war  has  a  curious 
fascination  for  the  daring   soul,  although  it 


A  PBISONER   OF  WAR  149 

involves  the  spy  in  many  personal  trials.  But 
a  proud  man  does  not  like  to  engage  in  work 
that  subjects  him  to  the  hazard  of  common 
infamy.  His  good  name  is  too  precious. 
However  honorable  may  be  one's  motives  and 
methods,  a  stigma  often  attaches  to  this  par- 
ticular form  of  conflict.  Major  Tallmadge 
therefore  found  it  an  exacting  task  to  get 
reliable  and  ef&cient  men  w^ho  would  take 
these  awful  risks. 

At  this  time,  there  was  no  more  convenient 
point  alongshore  for  making  secret  incur- 
sions into  Long  Island,  a  hotbed  of  Tory 
sentiment  and  machination,  than  Fairfield. 
The  whaleboat  was  a  favorite  means  of  action 
in  these  frequent  and  lively  adventures.  This 
popular  craft  was  thirty  feet  in  length  or 
thereabouts,  narrow,  and  made  short  at  both 
ends,  with  arrangements  for  a  crew  of  eight 
or  more  oarsmen.  Well  handled,  it  became 
very  useful  on  many  occasions. 

When  Captain  Hale  left  for  Huntington 
in  September,  1776,  on  his  fatal  mission, 
it  was  a  whaleboat  that  bore  him  across  the 
Sound.  When  Captain  Abraham  Parsons 
attacked  the  fortified  church  at  Brookhaven, 
held  by  a  little  company  of  rampant  Tories, 
in  August,  1777,  he  collected  something  like 


150  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

one  hundred  and  fifty  men  in  Fairfield,  pro- 
vided them  with  muskets  and  a  brass  six- 
pounder,  and  carried  them  over  to  Long 
Island  in  a  sloop  and  six  whaleboats.  Major 
Tallmadge  was  pleased  to  avail  himself  of  the 
whaleboat  service  repeatedly  during  the  inter- 
mittent weeks  or  days  that  he  stayed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Fairfield,  watching  the  course 
of  events  and  enterino^  into  secret  communica- 
tions  with  the  enemy. 

"  I  keep  one  or  more  boats  continually 
employed  in  crossing  the  Sound  on  this  busi- 
ness," he  remarked  to  Washington,  when 
reporting  on  the  success  of  these  mysterious 
enterprises. 

Sometimes  the  brilliant  young  officer  stayed 
on  Greenfield  Hill,  where  the  wide,  unob- 
structed view  enabled  him  to  use  his  glass  and 
resort  to  signals.  No  important  blow  had  been 
given  the  enemy  for  several  months,  so  that 
there  seemed  an  especial  need  of  such  infor- 
mation as  might  open  the  way  for  some  de- 
cisive movement  on  the  part  of  the  patriots. 

Tryon  continued  to  prophesy  evil  against 
the  shore  towns,  observing  to  Livingstone 
that  his  work  of  chastisement  had  simply 
begun.  He  was  biding  his  time,  and  when 
the  hour  struck,  he  proposed  to  inflict  even 


A  PRISONER   OF  WAR  151 

severer  blows  upon  the  helpless,  unprotected 
Connecticut  villages.  On  the  last  Sunday  of 
August,  1778,  a  great  fleet  passed  Fairfield,  — 
the  day  that  Lafayette  was  a  guest  of  Tliad- 
deus  Burr.  In  writing  to  a  friend  in  Phila- 
delphia, requesting  him  to  send  two  bottles 
of  Maredaunt's  Anti-Scorbetic  Drops  by  the 
first  post,  Mr.  Burr  refers  to  passing  events. 

"The  latest  accounts  we  have  from  Rhode 
Island  are  Friday  evening  last,  by  the  Mar- 
quis De  La  Fayette,  aid-de-camp,  who  arrived 
at  my  house  on  Sunday  evening  on  the  way 
to  General  Washington.  He  informed  me 
that  the  determination  there  was  to  hold  the 
ground  we  had  got,  that  General  Hancock 
had  gone  to  Boston  to  make  provision  for 
marching  the  French  troops  from  there  to 
Rhode  Island,  that  the  Marquis  was  to  set 
out  for  Boston  on  Friday  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  the  troops,  that  it  was  agreed  that 
all  the  French  fleet  which  were  in  a  condition 
to  put  to  sea  were  immediately  to  return  to 
Rhode  Island,  that  General  Sullivan  had  im- 
prudently given  out  in  general  orders  some 
reflections  upon  the  French  nation  and  Count 
D'Estaing,  o£  wdiich  I  suppose  even  you  wdll 
hear.  I  am  much  concerned  for  our  army 
and  the  Island  and  wish  to  hear  that  they 


152  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

were  safely  off ;  otlierways  I  am  afraid  many 
of  them  will  be  made  prisoners.  .  .  .  Last 
Sabbath  at  noon  passed  us  a  fleet  of  war  a 
hundred  sail,  with  a  fine  wind,  which,  I  think, 
must  arrive  at  Rhode  Island  before  the  French 
fleet ;  should  that  be  the  case  I  fear  the  con- 
sequences. But  God  hath  done  great  things 
for  us.  I  hope  for  the  best.  We  are  often 
disappointed  when  our  expectations  seem  well 
founded." 

It  was  this  coming  and  going  of  the  fleets 
and  the  frequent  appearance  of  men-of-war 
that  excited  the  people  alongshore. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  the  town  had  voted 
to  approve  the  Articles  of  Confederation  and 
Perpetual  Union  agreed  upon  by  the  Conti- 
nental Congress,  and  expressed  the  desire 
that  the  Assembly  of  the  State  authorize  their 
delegates  to  ratify  the  same  in  Congress  on 
behalf  of  Connecticut. 

As  Fairfield  was  the  headquarters  of  Gen- 
eral Silliman,  who  had  charge  of  the  state 
militia  for  the  defense  of  the  coast,  as  it  was 
the  centre  of  what  military  activity  existed  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  as  the  large  part  of 
the  whaleboat  service  radiated  from  this  port, 
as  the  leaders  of  opinion,  the  chief  conspira- 
tors in  rebellion  (using  the  language  of  the 


A  PEISONER   OF    WAE  153 

Tories)  held  frequent  conclave  in  town,  Fair- 
field became  the  particular  object  of  General 
Tryon's  venom. 

The  first  thing  to  do  was  to  spirit  Gen- 
eral Silliman  away.  A  few  renegade  Tories 
volunteered  to  make  him  prisoner,  among 
them  a  former  employee  of  the  general,  a 
man  familiar  with  his  habits  and  domestic 
arran  Clements. 

The  Tories  of  the  section,  and,  for  that 
matter,  of  the  State,  became  intensely  bit- 
ter against  the  patriots.  The  Rev.  John 
Sayre,  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  and  other 
men  of  his  parish,  had  refused  to  sign  the 
articles  prescribed  by  Congress,  so  that  strong 
feelings  had  been  excited.  On  one  occasion, 
the  house  of  the  rector  had  been  surrounded 
wdth  more  than  two  hundred  armed  men, 
indignant  that  his  sympathies  went  with  the 
British,  and  that  the  strength  of  his  influence 
was  boldly  given  to  the  party  of  oppression. 
It  was  the  condition  of  his  wife  on  that  wild 
day  that  had  restrained  his  neighbors  from 
taking  strong  measures  of  rebuke.  Later, 
Mr.  Sayre  w^as  banished  to  New  Britain,  being 
allowed  to  return  after  seven  months'  absence, 
and  remain  w^ithin  specified  limits,  under  con- 
ditions of  territorial  imprisonment. 


154  ^l.V    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Other  Tory  families  in  town  were  like- 
wise ostracized,  or  subjected  to  various  hard 
ordeals.  It  was  a  matter  of  necessity.  Nu- 
merous individuals  had  secretly  joined  the 
Redding  Association,  a  fraternity  of  royalists 
pledged  to  work  for  the  triumph  of  British 
arms.  These  men  were  all  enemies  in  a  town 
that  was  aglow  with  enthusiasm  in  behalf  of 
liberty,  and  they  were  plotting  against  their 
neighbors  and  holding  communications  with 
General  Howe  or  General  Tyron. 

For  months,  the  Church  of  England  service 
was  suspended.  When,  on  Mr.  Sayre's  re- 
turn, a  handful  of  peojDle  met  in  their  comely 
house  of  worship  each  Sunday  morning,  it 
was  simply  to  hear  the  Scripture  lessons  with 
a  brief  homily,  and  join  in  the  saying  of  the 
Psalter  and  the  singing  of  familiar  hymns; 
for  the  liturgy  was  omitted,  since  it  contained 
prayers  for  the  king.  These  people  did  not 
venture  to  mutilate  their  petitions  by  any 
omission  of  his  Majesty's  name. 

Every  movement  of  a  Tory  citizen  and  his 
family  was  watched  with  eagle  eye,  yet  the 
schemes  and  doings  of  the  patriots  were  dis- 
closed by  cunning  Tory  neighbors.  There 
were  times  when  wrath  and  indignation 
waxed   so  hot   against   these    un23opular  ad- 


A  PRISONEB   OF   WAR  155 

herents  of  the  king  that  H£e  itself  hung  in 
the  balance,  while  tar  and  feathers  became  a 
hated  popular  mode  of  punishment. 

Sherwood  Spalding  continued  his  attentions 
at  the  Hardy  homestead.  He  was  in  a  strait 
betwixt  two,  his  love  of  Desire  and  his  love 
for  the  royal  cause.  A  friendly,  ambitious 
fellow,  he  was  devoting  a  part  of  his  time  to 
an  attempted  intimacy  with  David  and  his  sis- 
ter, and  many  other  hours  to  secret  relations 
with  the  British  oppressor. 

Desire  had  spent  pleasant  hours  in  his 
company,  for  he  was  bright,  merry,  ingen- 
ious, bringing  the  latest  gossip  with  him, 
always  inventing  some  fresh  plan  of  enter- 
tainment. But  he  was  simply  their  friend,  a 
man  they  liked,  one  that  contributed  to  their 
enjoyment.  Desire  had  told  him  more  than 
once  that  they  must  remain  on  this  footing 
of  neighborly  association. 

As  the  struggle  between  the  colonies  and 
the  mother  country  went  on,  a  change  was 
noted  in  the  young  man.  He  grew  rest- 
less, moody,  suspicious,  observing  both  David 
and  Desire  with  a  scrutiny  that  annoyed  the 
latter.  She  became  convinced  that  he  was 
an  active  agent  of  the  royalists,  although  the 
evidences  were  scant  and  vague. 


156  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Yet  Desire  would  not  break  with  him. 
She  parried  his  questions  when  he  pried  into 
the  affairs  of  the  patriots ;  she  gave  him  now 
and  ao'ain  some  home-thrust  in  the  heat  of 
pohtical  talk ;  she  wormed  all  sorts  of  insinua- 
tions or  warnings  out  of  him ;  she  so  managed 
to  lead  him  on,  or  drive  him  into  a  corner, 
that  he  was  repeatedly  obliged  to  take  back 
his  words  in  confusion,  involving  himself  in 
telltale  contradictions.  It  was  a  bold  game 
that  Sherwood  Spalding  was  playing,  and 
Desire  was  the  only  person  that  unraveled  its 
cunning,  all  unknown  to  the  young  man  him- 
self ;  on  her  part  it  was  intuition  rather  than 
evidence.  The  game  which  Desire  Hardy 
was  playing  proved  to  be  even  bolder  and 
more  perilous,  although  she  played  it  with 
marvelous  wit  and  delicacy. 

"  General  Silliman  is  a  great  man  among 
us,"  Spalding  said  sneeringly,  in  conversa- 
tion with  Desire.  "  Some  day  it  will  be  said, 
'  How  are  the  mighty  fallen.'  " 

"Has  he  ever  hurt  you?"  inquired  Desire, 
with  assumed  indifference. 

"  Well,  if  he  has  n't  done  me  an  injury, 
he  's  abused  a  good  many  folks  that  are  true 
to  the  kino-." 

"  He  was   conscientious  in  it,  my  friend," 


A  PRISONEB   OF   WAR  157 

explained  Desire,  in  a  quiet,  modest  way. 
"  There  is  no  better,  nobler  anan  in  the  State 
than  General  Silliman,  a  most  rare  exemplar 
of  Christian  humility." 

"  He  's  as  proud  as  Lucifer  in  his  ridicu- 
lous authority,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  him 
taken  down.  Don't  talk  to  me  about  his 
humility." 

The  young  man  reddened  with  the  remem- 
brance of  some  fancied  slight  or  severity  on 
the  part  of  the  general  in  command  of  the 
local  troops. 

"  Oh,  your  anticipations  are  altogether 
groundless.  I  suspect,  Mr.  Spalding,  some 
little  miff  has  engendered  ill-feeling  on  your 
part.  I  'd  like  to  know  how  General  Silli- 
man could  be  touched  these  days  by  the 
enemy ; "  and  Desire  smiled  in  a  most  pro- 
voking way. 

"  You  think  there  are  not  enough  good 
subjects  of  the  king  familiar  with  this  neigh- 
borhood to  slip  up  to  his  house  some  night 
and  take  him  prisoner,  eh  ?  "  said  Spalding, 
with  rancor.  Then  the  color  left  his  face  as 
he  continued,  in  a  low,  constrained  tone,  "  But 
then,  of  course  that 's  impossible,  for  he  's  al- 
ways on  the  lookout.  I  suppose  he  has  a  score 
of  men  on  guard  to  warn  him  of  danger." 


158  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  Tvas  Saturday  evening,  the  last  day  of 
April,  1779,  when  this  conv  ersation  occurred, 
and  no  sooner  was  Sherwood  Spalding  gone 
than  Desire  prepared  to  ride  to  Holland  Hill. 
Saturday  night  was  holy,  for  the  Sabbath 
began  at  sunset,  but  war  minimizes  such  dis- 
tinctions, and  gives  liberties  to  the  most  strict 
sects. 

Minto  brought  the  horse  to  the  door, 
David  mounted.  Desire  sprang  up  behind, 
and  away  they  sped  into  the  shadows  of  the 
night. 

General  Silliman  was  at  home,  for  the  mor- 
row was  communion  Sunday,  and  he  was  the 
senior  deacon  in  the  church.  The  holy  bread 
had  been  prepared  that  day,  and  the  ancient 
silver  cups  and  tankards  polished  for  the 
service. 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you,  Desire.  I  thank 
you  for  the  warning."  The  general  had 
received  her  message,  and  was  now  revolving 
it  in  his  mind.  "  Perhaps  the  coast  guard 
ought  to  be  increased,  and  it  may  be  wise  for 
me  to  keep  a  sharper  watch  over  my  premises. 
But  the  hour  is  late  to-night.  On  the  mor- 
row, I  will  speak  of  it  to  the  brethren.  After 
all,  your  fears  may  be  groundless." 

''  Sir,  I  believe  that  you  are  in  peril.     I 


A  PBISONER   OF   WAR  159 

have  reason  to  tliink  that  General  CHnton 
would  be  pleased  to  have  you  for  his  pris- 
oner."    She  spoke  with  great  earnestness. 

There  followed  two  or  three  moments  of 
whispered  consultation,  then  the  young  peo- 
ple returned  to  the  village. 

It  was  moonlight,  quiet  and  lovely,  sugges- 
tive of  peace.  Yet  the  inmates  of  the  Hardy 
homestead  did  not  rest.  They  were  haunted 
with  strange  visions.  Desire  peered  into  the 
ghostliness  of  the  night  many  times  ;  twice 
she  called  David,  saying  that  she  heard  guns, 
that  loud  voices  came  floatino"  down  to  her 
from  the  hills  to  the  east.  A  few  minutes 
before  two  in  the  morning,  the  sounds  of  a 
galloping  horse  smote  their  ears.  David  ran 
out  upon  the  street  to  intercept  the  rider, 
then  hurriedly  returned  to  get  his  musket 
and  tell  his  sister  that  the  attack  which  was 
feared  had  been  made.  General  Silliman  was 
now  a  prisoner,  and  the  few  members  of  the 
train-band  in  town  were  called  to  go  in  pursuit. 

But  it  availed  nothing,  for  the  deed  was 
done,  and  the  captors  away  with  their  pris- 
oner, before  any  alarm  could  be  given. 

Desire  hastened  with  Minto  through  the 
gloom  to  Holland  Hill,  that  she  might  com- 
fort the  terrified  household. 


160  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

"  We  were  all  asleep,"  said  Mrs.  Silliman, 
in  telling  the  story  of  his  capture.  "  William 
had  been  sick  Avith  chills  and  fever  all  day, 
so  that  he  had  not  lifted  his  head  from  the 
bed.  Suddenly  I  heard  an  awf  id  banging  at 
the  door.  They  were  hurling  rocks  against 
it,  trying  to  break  it  in.  My  husband  awoke 
and  sprang  for  his  muskets,  running  with 
them  to  the  front  window.  He  thrust  one 
musket  through  the  window-pane  and  tried 
to  fire  it,  but  there  was  only  a  flash  in  the 
pan.  Then  there  was  a  dash  for  the  window 
by  the  assailants,  the  sash  and  glass  were 
broken  into  fragments,  and  the  men  were  in 
our  room  wrestling  with  Mr.  Silliman.  He 
saw  that  it  was  vain  to  resist  them,  and  tried 
to  hush  their  wild,  discordant  cries  and  im- 
precations, saying  that  his  wife  was  present 
in  bed,  appealing  to  their  instincts  as  gentle- 
men. At  length,  they  consented  to  go  into 
the  adjoining  room  while  he  dressed  and 
made  his  hasty  preparations  to  go  with  them 
as  their  prisoner.  While  waiting  for  him, 
they  fell  upon  William,  and  compelled  him 
to  rise  in  his  weakness  and  become  their 
prisoner.  They  also  took  what  pieces  of  sil- 
ver and  small  objects  of  interest  they  could 
find.     By  this  time,  my  husband  was  ready. 


A  PRISONER   OF   WAR  161 

and  they  hastened  with  him  and  William 
down  toward  the  shore." 

She  was  a  brave  and  trustful  woman,  this 
narrator  of  the  incident,  althouo;h  her  ag^ita- 

^  O  CD 

tion  was  still  manifest,  and  the  horror  of  the 
hour  lingered  upon  her. 

"Then  they  came  by  boat,  and  they  will 
carry  General  Silliman  across  the  Sound," 
exclaimed  Desire. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply ;  "  I  fear  that  our 
alarm  was  too  late  for  any  rescue.  There 
were  eight  of  the  captors,  and  their  haste 
makes  me  feel  that  they  must  have  put  off 
from  some  ship  nigh  the  harbor,  or  mayhap 
they  used  a  whaleboat  and  are  bound  for 
the  Lono'  Island  shore." 

With  the  dawn  of  the  morning,  the  news 
of  General  Silliman's  captivity  spread  broad- 
cast. 

It  was  an  excited  cono["reo;;ation  to  which 
the  Rev.  x\ndrew  Eliot  preached  on  that  1st 
day  of  May,  1779.  The  church  silver,  over 
which  the  general  had  thrown  a  loose  piece 
of  cloth  when  the  enemy  entered  his  bedroom, 
had  been  saved  from  their  sacrilegious  hands 
and  brouo^ht  down  to  the  meeting'-house  for 
the  service.  Never  did  it  seem  more  precious 
or  beautiful  than  on  that  sad,  solemn  day. 


162  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Deacon  Silliman  was  a  prisoner,  and  could  not 
wait  upon  his  sacred  office  in  the  sanctuary, 
yet  every  touch  of  the  hp  to  the  chahce 
passed  from  communicant  to  communicant 
was  a  reminder  not  only  of  the  sacrifice  on 
Calvary,  but  of  the  later  sacrifices  made  in 
the  name  of  liberty  and  righteousness  by 
God-fearing  men  like  their  absent  friend  and 
leader. 

It  was  an  incident  ominous  with  meaning 
to  all  the  shore  towns.  For  nearly  five  years, 
the  citizens  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Con- 
necticut had  looked  to  General  Silliman  for 
protection.  He  had  given  himself  heart  and 
soul  to  the  task,  preferring  to  take  the  hum- 
bler role  of  a  state  militia-man,  serving  under 
Governor  Trumbull,  than  the  more  conspicu- 
ous position  of  an  officer  in  the  Continental 
army. 

Peculiar  dangers  beset  his  native  colony. 
Its  wide  exposure  to  maritime  depredations 
and  its  voluntary  poverty  in  respect  to  trained 
and  tried  soldiers  (the  great  majority  serving 
in  other  States)  proved  very  alluring  to  the 
enemy.  But  General  Silliman  had  don^  ex- 
cellent service,  being  vigilant,  energetic,  work- 
ful,  and  a  good  disciplinarian ;  winning  the 
esteem  and  confidence  of  his  men,  keeping 


A  PBISONER   OF  WAR  163 

in  close  touch  with  every  forward  movement, 
contributing  not  a  Httle  to  the  success  of 
various  campaigns  in  contiguous  territory. 

It  was  felt  on  the  day  of  his  capture  that 
affairs  were  approaching  a  crisis  for  Connecti- 
cut. The  news  carried  sorrow  and  dread 
anticipation  all  through  the  State.  A  fresh 
appeal  was  speedily  sent  to  the  governor  for 
adequate  patrol  both  on  sea  and  land.  Every 
preparation  for  incursions  of  the  British  was 
made  that  circumstances  permitted.  But 
when  all  had  been  done,  Connecticut  remained 
at  the  mercy  of  an  invader. 


CHAPTER  XII 

TWO    MUFFLED    FIGURES 

It  was  a  singular  position  in  which  Desire 
Hardy  was  placed.  Had  it  not  been  that  she 
was  a  young  woman  of  remarkable  force,  her 
situation  would  have  proved  extremely  em- 
barrassing. 

People  made  great  allowances  for  her.  She 
was  motherless,  and  the  innumerable  restraints 
which  maternal  care  imposes  had  been  lacking 
since  childhood.  She  did  much  as  she  pleased. 
The  gentle  counsels  and  loving  confidences 
that  bind  mother  and  daughter  together,  help- 
ing to  refine  and  shape  the  child  life,  were 
almost  unknown  to  Desire. 

When  the  grandfather  left  the  home  and 
his  control  was  withdrawn,  it  threw  this  young 
woman  back  completely  upon  her  own  re- 
sources. For  while  David  was  a  man  of  ster- 
ling integrity,  good  judgment,  and  rare  worth, 
he  was  not  the  man  to  hold  authority  over  a 
sister  like  Desire.  She  was  the  real  master ; 
he  did  her  bidding  with  a  cordial  acquiescence 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  165 

and  fidelity  that  made  their  home  h£e  thor- 
oughly peaceful,  if  it  did  not  result  in  large 
crops  from  the  farm  or  an  abounding  pros- 
perity. 

It  Avas  a  happy  relationship  which  existed 
between  the  brother  and  his  twin  sister.  David 
was  never  asked  a  second  time  to  do  any  ser- 
vice for  Desire  (that  is  to  say,  in  case  he 
heard  the  request),  for  her  expressed  wish  was 
enough  to  send  him  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
He  had  such  faith  in  her  goodness,  discern- 
ment, affection,  that  he  did  not  question  her 
wishes  unless  it  was  clear  to  him  that  unwit- 
tingly she  misinterpreted  facts. 

He  had  observed  that  she  made  frequent 
use  of  her  pen.  Writing  letters  was  not  a 
common  thing  among  the  majority  of  people. 
It  was  a  luxury.  Postage  burdened  a*  poor 
man,  and  there  was  little  occasion  for  cor- 
respondence. "  It  costs  four  shillings  to  write 
you  in  Boston,"  said  Mr.  Eliot  to  his  brother. 

Nevertheless,  David  was  the  cordial  ally  of 
Desire  in  this  extraordinary  piece  of  extrava- 
gance, writing  freely  to  Duane  Livingstone 
and  Aaron  Burr,  receiving  in  exchange  let- 
ters brimful  of  news  and  merrymakings. 

It  did  not  surprise  him  that  Major  Tall- 
madge  came  often  to  the  house ;  that  when- 


166  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

ever  he  stopped  in  Fairfield,  a  part  of  the 
brilHant  of&cer's  time  was  devoted  to  Desire 
and  himself.  They  discovered  in  him  a  most 
genial  humor ;  he  came  freighted  with  all  the 
patriotic  ardor  and  hopefulness  of  the  day. 
It  was  delightful.  So  when  Tallmadge  asked 
the  privilege  of  writing  to  him  with  an  inclos- 
ure  for  his  sister,  David  was  pleased. 

Sometimes,  the  major  would  simply  say, 
"  Tell  your  sister  to  read  such  and  such  a 
verse  in  Scripture,"  or  "Tell  Miss  Desire  that 
it  is  late  for  the  arbutus,"  or  "  Tell  her  it  is 
sweet  to  die  for  one's  country."  Such  sen- 
tences seemed  very  matter  of  fact ;  there  was  a 
quaintness  and  humor  about  these  messages 
that  amused  David.  At  other  times,  the  let- 
ter would  consist  of  an  inclosure  for  Desire, 
David  straitly  passing  it  over  to  his  sister. 
But  the  great  part  of  the  correspondence  on 
Major  Tallmadge' s  part  was  directly  with 
David  himself,  generally  concluding  with  a 
request  to  hand  the  letter  to  Miss  Desire,  that 
she  mig-ht  also  read  its  contents. 

After  General  Silliman  was  captured,  Sher- 
wood Spalding  left  town.  A  week  later,  David 
and  Desire  received  from  him  a  request  for 
news.  He  was  staying  over  at  Judge  Jones's, 
on  Long  Island, 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  167 

There  had  never  been  a  thought  of  impro- 
priety in  the  mind  of  either  brother  or  sister 
concerning  this  writing.  The  history  of  the 
letters  would  be  interesting,  if  it  was  recalled. 
Many  were  the  adventures  connected  with 
their  going  and  coming.  Some  of  the  mis- 
sives were  carried  by  public  post.  Others 
came  by  the  hands  of  private  messengers.  A 
few  reached  their  destination  by  unnoted 
agents.  Possibly  an  Indian  was  the  inter- 
mediary, for  there  were  four  descendants  of 
the  savage  tribes  left  in  Fairfield  at  the 
period  of  the  Revolution,  or  some  witch  ally 
may  have  served  as  mail  carrier,  according  to 
the  fancy  of  Lois. 

One  thing  David  observed  which  puzzled 
him.  Desire  always  assumed  care  of  the  let- 
ters and,  as  he  supposed,  preserved  them  ;  but 
one  day,  when  a  long  one  had  come  from 
Duane  Livingstone,  after  the  brother  and  sis- 
ter had  read  its  contents,  David  saw  Desire 
tear  it  into  shreds  and  burn  it  on  the  kitchen 
hearth.  He  pondered  the  matter.  Letters 
were  precious.  One  Hked  to  read  them  to 
friends.  If  one  did  not  read  them  to  friends, 
it  was  pleasant  to  keep  them  and  reread  them 
on  some  later  day. 

"Do  you  burn  all  your  letters?"  inq^uired 


168  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

David,  ill  a  troubled  way,  as  Desire  hurried 
into  the  httle  front  room  where  he  was  work- 
ing away  at  Puritan  theology. 

The  color  forsook  her  cheeks,  and  there  was 
the  slightest  tremor  in  her  voice  as  she  replied : 

"  Yes,  David.  If  the  British  took  the 
town,  do  you  think  I  'd  like  to  have  them 
running  through  our  little  correspondence?" 

"  Why,  I  never  thought  of  that.  Desire. 
But  you  were  always  wiser  than  I.  You  do 
quite  right,  I  am  sure." 

"  Yes,  David,  quite  right ;  although  it 's 
nobody's  business  what  we  do  with  our  let- 
ters, and  we  won't  talk  about  it,  will  we  ?  " 

She  was  bending  over  David,  arranging  his 
wig,  which  had  been  twisted  to  one  side. 

"  It 's  a  strange  life  we  're  living,  Desire, 
is  n't  it  ?  "  He  leaned  back  in  his  chair  as 
her  arm  fell  across  his  shoulder. 

"  David,  these  are  strange  times.  I  am 
strange  to  myseK.  I  never  dreamed  that  one 
could  love  his  country  as  I  have  learned  to 
love  this  our  native  land.  David,  it  some- 
times seems  to  me  that  I  must  shoulder  a 
musket  and  fight  for  our  rights.  Do  you 
think  it  is  unmaidenly  ?  Would  it  be  wrong 
for  me  to  play  a  man's  part  in  the  conflict,  if 
that  were  possible?     It 's  well  enough  to  talk 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  169 

about  drinking  liberty  tea  and  denying  one's 
self  imported  luxuries.  There  is  some  satis- 
faction in  spinning,  weaving,  sewing,  and 
knittinof  so  that  our  soldiers  shall  be  clothed. 
And  I  'm  glad  to  toil  on  the  farm,  if  need 
be,  and  help  plant  and  reap  and  do  anything 
that  will  feed  our  men  and  fit  them  for  ser- 
vice. But,  David,  I  have  actually  thought 
that  I  would  like  to  go  to  war  and  take  my 
part  in  ending  this  awful  conflict." 

"  No,  Desire,"  exclaimed  the  brother,  her 
spirit  of  enthusiasm  quickening  him,  "  I  'm 
the  one  to  go  to  war.  I  '11  go  to-morrow,  if 
you  say  the  word." 

David  paced  the  floor  in  his  earnestness. 

"  Oh,  that  I  might  give  myself !  "  Desire 
exclaimed.  "  No,  David,  you  cannot  go.  We 
should  starve.  Some  one  must  stay  at  home 
to  guard  the  shore.  And,  David,"  —  she 
looked  into  his  face  with  sweet  deprecation 
and  whimsical  dissent,  —  "you  are  not  made 
for  a  soldier.  You  live  too  much  in  the  hio^her 
regions.  You  get  lost  too  often  in  the  realms 
of  pure  spirit.  It  takes  a  good  part  of  my 
time,  brother,  to  keep  you  in  order  and  hold 
you  down  to  earth." 

Even  as  she  was  addressing  the  young  man, 
she  observed  that  his  mind  began  to  wander. 


170  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

There  was  a  telltale,  absorbed  expression 
stealins:  into  his  face.  As  Desire  ceased 
speaking,  there  was  deep  silence  in  the  room. 
She  gazed  upon  him  with  the  kindly  indul- 
gence, the  pathetic  solicitude,  that  a  mother 
sometimes  bestows  upon  a  dreamy,  heedless 
child. 

" What 's  that  you  say ?    What?    What?" 

David  was  slipping  back  to  consciousness 
of  the  present,  and  getting  a  fresh  hold  upon 
the  thread  of  discourse.  He  had  been  absent 
only  a  moment,  but  it  was  a  graphic  proof  of 
the  sane  conclusion  reached  by  his  sister. 

"  Poor  child,"  continued  the  brother,  as  he 
came  into  full  possession  of  himself  again  ;  "  I 
fear  that  your  training  has  been  wasted  on 
me.  No,  Desire,  it  looks  as  if  I  should  do  no 
one  any  credit.  I  believe  I  'm  queer.  It 's 
an  awful  thing  to  have  a  witch  for  an  ances- 
tor, is  n't  it  ?  "  David  laughed  skeptically, 
and  printed  a  kiss  on  his  sister's  forehead. 

"  I  suppose  we  're  both  queer,  and  of  the 
two,  I  'm  the  queerer.  But,  David,  how  can 
we  help  it  ?  I  don't  see  why  a  woman  can't 
be  a  patriot  and  do  as  much  for  her  country 
as  a  man.  One's  country  belongs  to  the 
women  as  much  as  to  the  men,  does  n't  it  ? 
I  've  heard   how  the  ladies  of  Philadelphia 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  171 

have  raised  such  a  great  sum  of  money  for 
the  soldiers ;  how  a  woman  in  Maine  ran 
twenty  miles  to  carry  her  husband  his  powder 
horn  which  he  had  forgotten  (she  ought  to 
have  hit  him  over  the  head  with  it  when  she 
caught  up  with  him) ;  how  Emily  Geiger  ate 
the  note  she  carried  to  Sumter  when  she  was 
taken  prisoner ;  how  Nancy  Hart  put  on  the 
uniform  of  an  officer  and  made  the  other 
women  dress  in  soldier  clothes,  so  that  the 
redcoats,  when  they  saw  them,  withdrew  be- 
cause the  fort  was  well  manned ;  how  the 
women  of  Groton  put  on  men's  clothes,  and 
defended  the  bridge,  and  took  the  Tory  mes- 
senger prisoner,  and  sent  him  to  Colonel  Pres- 
cott.  I  've  heard  about  these  and  a  hundred 
other  daring  deeds  of  women  patriots.  Why 
can't  I  do  something  that  will  count  in  the 
struggle  ?  David,  I  've  a  mind  to  borrow 
some  of  your  clothes  and  try  my  hand  at 
service." 

Her  listener  was  ag-ain  wanderino-  in  his 
mind.  Something  which  she  had  said  awak- 
ened old  associations ;  he  was  thinking  of 
certain  grave  metaphysical  questions  that 
had  puzzled  him  three  years  ago.  Perhaps 
it  was  well  that  he  lost  the  last  words  of  his 
sister,  for  they  would  have  given  him  pain 
and  anxiety. 


172  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  was  a  real  home,  the  abode  of  love  and 
trust,  where  these  young  people  lived.  They 
attracted  to  them  the  best  society  in  town, 
the  wit  and  wisdom,  the  youth  and  gayety, 
the  adventure  and  enthusiasm,  of  their  little 
world.  One  was  certain  to  find  the  brightest 
company  at  the  Hardy  homestead.  The  law- 
yer, the  soldier,  and  the  traveler  resorted 
thither  to  tell  their  tale  and  bask  in  the  sun- 
shine of  Desire's  charms.  The  parson,  the 
doctor,  the  school-teacher,  the  town  clerk, 
the  young  collegian,  and  the  old  controver- 
sialist frequented  the  house,  ostensibly  to 
talk  with  David  and  sharpen  their  faculties 
by  some  lively  speech  upon  the  questions  of 
past,  present,  or  future. 

Every  patriotic  soul  was  made  welcome,  and 
there  was  sure  to  be  a  second,  a  third,  an  oft- 
repeated  coming.  For  it  must  be  noted  that 
a  rare  and  delectable  freedom  prevailed  in  this 
house  presided  over  by  a  young  student  and 
his  fair,  brilliant  sister,  —  a  freedom,  in  truth, 
that  never  transo^ressed  the  bounds  of  de- 
corum,  yet  a  freedom  that  was  expansive  and 
vitalizing. 

The  lively,  magical  patriotism  of  Desire 
drew  every  officer  and  many  of  the  rank  and 
file  in  the  train-band  to  her  charmed  circle. 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  173 

One  mio'ht  have  tliouo;ht  the  homestead  was 
a  recruiting'  station,  observing  there  such 
numbers  of  men  belonging  to  the  soldiery  ; 
or  perhaps  the  headquarters  of  the  town  mili- 
tia. It  was  a  veritable  centre  of  martial  news 
and  movements.  One  was  certain  to  meet 
some  comrade  in  arms,  or  learn  some  facts 
concerning  the  war,  whenever  he  dropped  in 
to  greet  the  young  people.  Yet  the  visitor 
never  detected  any  lack  of  maidenliness  in 
Desire,  and  never  left  her  presence  without 
paying  homage  to  her  subtle,  gracious  fasci- 
nations. 

Did  an  of&cer  wish  to  instill  courage  into 
the  soul  of  some  country  lout,  he  led  him 
within  the  realm  of  Desire's  bewitchment. 
It  did  not  require  many  minutes  for  her  to 
inspire  him  with  warm  and  manly  devotion  to 
country. 

Every  wounded  man  transported  to  Fair- 
field was  cheered  and  strengthened  by  her 
tender  offices.  They  had  brought  Colonel 
Lamb  from  Compo  after  the  raid  on  Danbury. 
He  was  seriously  injured  while  in  pursuit  of 
the  foe,  and  Captain  Deming  took  him  to  his 
own  house.  Here  Desire  waited  u^^on  him 
like  an  angel  of  mercy.  When  Colonel 
Dimon,  another  victim  of  the  Danbury  fight, 


174  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

sufPered  throug-li  the  summer  of  1777,  Desire 
was  the  same  faithful,  delicate  minister  of 
comfort.  There  was  nothing  demanded  for 
the  sake  of  a  sick  or  wounded  soldier  that 
she  hesitated  to  do.  The  men  learned  to 
look  to  her  and  David  with  a  trust  and  affec- 
tion that  was  its  own  sweet  reward. 

Yet  Desire  felt  that  she  was  doino^  little  or 
nothing  for  liberty.  Albeit  her  heart  was 
given  to  the  great  cause  of  civil  rights  and 
national  independence.  She  had  no  heart  left 
to  give  to  Sherwood  Spalding,  Aaron  Burr, 
Duane  Livingstone,  or  any  other  man  living, 
so  lono^  as  the  conflict  waofed. 

Major  Tallmadge  succeeded  in  getting  the 
New  York  correspondent  that  General  Wash- 
ington wanted.  Neither  the  Commander-in- 
chief  of  the  American  army  nor  his  shrewd 
and  efficient  field  officer  Tallmadge  knew  who 
this  secret,  invaluable  agent  was,  the  corre- 
spondence being  conducted  in  a  way  that  made 
it  next  to  impossible  for  the  secret  to  leak  out. 
Major  Tallmadge  found  a  person  he  could 
trust  implicitly.  This  person  simply  agreed  to 
be  a  medium  of  communication,  and  arrange 
with  other  trusty  individuals  to  keep  him  in- 
formed concerning  the  situation  in  New  York. 
The    secret  intelligence  was  generally  com- 


TWO  MUFFLED   FIGURES  175 

municated  by  way  of  Long  Island.  It  often 
came  into  the  hands  of  Major  TaUmadge  at 
Fairfield,  or  was  forwarded  to  him  in  cipher. 

One  lowery  night  in  June,  a  whaleboat,  with 
its  crew  of  sixteen  oarsmen  and  two  closely 
muffled  passengers,  shoved  off  from  Black 
Rock  and  shot  into  the  misty  gloom.  Hunt- 
ington was  the  objective  point.  Not  half  a 
dozen  words  were  spoken  in  crossing  the 
water,  for  the  men  had  received  their  instruc- 
tions. They  were  as  familiar  with  tides  and 
winds,  fogs  and  points  of  land,  sunken  reefs 
and  similar  thino^s,  as  with  their  own  door- 
yards. 

They  reached  the  appointed  rendezvous  in 
good  time,  the  two  mufEed  figures  stepped  on 
shore  and  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  while 
the  crew,  having  drawn  the  boat  into  a  thick 
wood  that  ran  down  close  to  the  shore,  and 
having  done  everything  to  conceal  their  where- 
abouts and  make  themselves  comfortable  for 
the  night,  stretched  out  under  the  inverted 
craft  and  fell  asleep.  They  were  to  remain 
hidden  until  the  next  night,  when  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning  the  orders  were  to 
have  the  boat  in  readiness  to  receive  the 
secret  passengers  and  return  to  the  Connecti- 
cut shore. 


176  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

It  was  a  dreary,  perilous  tramp  through 
the  deep  wilds  of  the  forest  which  the  two 
unknown  began,  but  they  pushed  eagerly 
forward,  in  order  to  get  into  hiding  before 
the  break  of  day.  There  were  no  words 
wasted  between  them.  Occasionally,  they 
rested  a  moment  to  make  sure  that  they 
were  on  the  right  track.  They  seemed  rea- 
sonably familiar  with  the  course,  and  the 
slight  obstacles  that  presented  themselves 
were  quickly  surmounted. 

The  first  gray  of  the  morning,  with  the 
cheerful  twitter  and  sweet  melody  of  the 
birds,  found  them  sheltered  in  a  tiny  hut  of 
logs  and  bark,  completely  embowered  amid  a 
small  growth  of  hemlock.  Here  they  rested, 
and  it  was  not  five  minutes  before  one  of 
them  had  thrown  himself  down  upon  a  fra- 
grant bed  of  fresh-cut  boughs  and  dropped 
asleep.  The  other  waited  until  certain  that 
all  was  unobserved,  then  stole  softly  forth 
into  the  dim  light  of  the  forest,  walked  to  a 
piece  of  rock  projecting  from  the  sharp  de- 
scent, bent  down  above  a  mossy  bed  that 
covered  a  portion  of  the  rough  surface,  pressed 
the  hand  into  the  damp,  soft  lichens,  and 
drew  forth  a  letter.  Thrusting  it  into  the 
bosom,  this  figure  hurried  back  to  the  well- 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGURES  111 

hidden  rustic  bower,  and  soon  there  were 
two  people  wrapped  in  profound  slumber, 
buried  in  the  friendly  interior  of  a  vast 
forest. 

No  signs  of  human  life  appeared  during 
the  day.  The  woods  resounded  with  the 
merry  pipings  of  gay  bird  songsters  and  the 
busy  animal  creation.  The  bower  itself  now 
and  again  swayed  to  the  jump  and  scuffle  of 
some  frolicsome  members  of  brute  society. 

It  was  evening  before  the  sleepers  bestirred 
themselves,  and  even  then  they  waited  until 
the  thick  darkness  brooded  above  them,  and 
it  was  impossible  to  see  a  human  form  ten 
feet  distant. 

The  pines  and  the  hemlocks  were  moaning 
their  unrest  and  forebodings  when  the  muffled 
travelers  stepped  forth  into  the  grim  night. 
Silently  they  started  to  retrace  their  hasty 
path.  Hour  after  hour  they  threaded  a  weary, 
toilsome,  anxious  way  through  the  tangled 
thickets  and  overgrown  trees.  They  w^ere 
making  steady  progress,  and  the  hope  of  their 
journey's  end  began  to  render  their  steps  elas- 
tic and  their  tread  more  hurried. 

On  a  sudden  a  hand  came  out  of  the  niofht 
and  seized  hold  of  the  foremost  footman. 
There  was  an  onset  and  a  resistance  so  swift 


178  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

that  the  second  traveler  fairly  stumbled  over 
the  two.  No  word  escaped.  It  was  a  wres- 
thng  match  in  the  dark  and  silence ;  then 
through  some  strange  witchery  of  hand  or 
spirit,  the  conflict  was  between  the  assailant 
and  the  second  of  the  assaulted  party,  while 
the  swift  leader  first  seized  had  become  lost 
in  the  heavy  shadows. 

The  fight  lasted  only  a  moment  or  two, 
when  the  man  w^ho  had  the  temerity  to  stop 
these  two  travelers  was  flung  heavily  to  the 
ground,  now  at  the  mercy  of  his  foe.  There 
was  the  ominous  sound  of  gasping  breath 
and  gurglings  in  the  throat ;  the  vanquished 
man  grew  limp  and  nerveless  ;  for  a  second 
his  victor  peered  down  into  the  face  of  the 
prostrate  enemy ;  then,  seeming  to  reconsider 
or  think  better  of  his  purpose,  the  traveler 
sprang  away  from  his  unconscious  victim  and 
plunged  into  the  darkness. 

The  whaleboat  was  in  good  trim ;  the  men 
waited  with  sharp  ears  and  keen  eyes.  It 
was  two  o'clock,  and  no  sign  of  a  return  ; 
half  past  two,  and  the  first  notes  of  the  on- 
coming day  broke  the  hush  of  night ;  three 
o'clock,  and  the  eastern  horizon  showed  pen- 
cilings  of  dim  gray,  when,  hist !  there  was 
the  crackling  of  twigs,  the  hurried  noise  of 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGUEES  179 

a  swift  approach  :  a  solitary  person  pushed 
through  the  gloom  and  sprang  into  the  boat. 
Every  man  was  in  his  place,  the  oars  were 
lifted,  and  at  the  motion  of  the  unknown 
they  stood  out  to  sea ;  then,  at  the  motion 
of  the  muffled  figure,  they  rested  upon  their 
oars  and  strained  their  ears  to  catch  any  sound 
of  man. 

Full  twenty  minutes  tardily  passed,  every 
nerve  still  stretched  to  interpret  the  various 
sounds  that  multiplied  upon  the  land.  At 
length  a  faint  bird  note,  like  the  whippoor- 
will,  drew  from  the  throat  of  the  mysterious 
passenger  a  strong,  shrill  response  that  hasted 
landward  ;  the  oarsmen  pulled  for  the  shore, 
a  form  looming  up  in  the  distance  ;  then  the 
belated  comrade  ran  down  to  the  little  beach, 
tumbled  into  the  waiting  craft,  and  again 
they  fled  into  waning  obscurity,  steering  for 
the  hospitable  shores  of  Connecticut. 

A  few  days  later,  it  was  reported  in  town 
that  Duane  Livingstone  and  Sherwood  Spal- 
ding, both  guests  in  the  house  of  Judge  Jones 
on  Long  Island,  had  come  to  blows  over  some 
personal  matters,  and  Spalding  had  been 
seriously  injured. 

Sherwood  wrote  a  letter  to  David  Hardy 
the  following  month,  and  it  befuddled  him, 


180  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

for  it  was  tlie  most  curious  medley  of  inco- 
herent ravings  imaginable. 

"  What  can  the  fellow  mean  ?  "  said  David 
to  his  sister.  '  As  you  value  life,  quit  this 
wicked  business.'  "  He  was  reading  detached 
sentences  and  discussino-  them  with  Desire. 
"  Quit  what  business  ?  Does  he  think  that  I 
am  to  be  frightened  out  of  standing  up  for 
human  rights  ?  "  And  David  looked  every 
inch  a  man,  as  he  spoke.  '^ '  I  know  it  was 
you.  I  recognized  your  walk,  and  dark  as  it 
was,  I  saw  the  outlines  of  your  features.'  " 
David  was  readino-  another  sentence  from  the 
mysterious  letter.  "  Why,  the  fellow  has 
gone  stark  mad.  If  it 's  true  that  Duane 
and  he  had  a  set-to,  it 's  affected  his  brain." 
Desire  was  spinning,  and  made  no  comments. 
" '  The  best  thing  for  you  to  do  is  to  make 
your  peace  with  the  king.'"  He  laughed 
boisterously  in  reading  the  sentence.  "  What 
do  you  think  of  that,  Desire?  Make  my 
peace  with  the  king  !  And  we  know  all  the 
time  that  God  intends  to  see  these  colonies 
free  and  independent  States.  They  are  free 
and  independent  to-day." 

David  halted  a  moment  to  take  breath, 
then  continued  :  "  ^  I  give  you  this  final  warn- 
ing.   You  '11  soon  be  without  house  and  home. 


TWO  MUFFLED  FIGUBES  181 

and  the  clemency  of  your  sovereign  will  have 
reached  its  limits.'  "  David  stared  at  the 
paper,  trying  to  solve  the  riddle. 

"  I  think  he  must  know  somethino:  about 
the  movements  of  General  Clinton,"  finally 
observed  Desire.  "  Give  me  the  letter,  and 
I  '11  see  what  can  be  made  of  it."  But  his 
sister  did  not  throw  any  light  upon  the  sub- 
ject, and  at  last  they  consigned  the  mysterious 
epistle  to  the  flames. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A    FLEET    SAILS    UP    THE    SOUND 

General  Tryon  was  very  busy  these  June 
days.  Everything  had  been  put  into  prime 
order,  and  a  fleet  was  prepared  to  sail  up  the 
Sound  with  a  good  complement  of  well-trained 
troops. 

The  secret  agent  who  served  the  patriots  in 
New  York,  being  thoroughly  posted,  had  sent 
his  warning  to  Washington ;  but  the  expedi- 
tion which  was  on  the  eve  of  starting  might 
be  desiofned  for  one  or  another  of  the  Con- 
necticut  towns.  It  was  impossible  to  fore- 
stall the  measure  or  extent  of  the  intended 
depredations. 

Word  concerning  the  incursion  had  been 
passed  all  along  the  shore.  Greenwich,  Stam- 
ford, Norwalk,  Fairfield,  New  Haven,  New 
London,  knew  that  something  was  in  the  air. 
But  it  was  little  that  any  of  these  towns  could 
do  by  way  of  further  preparation.  The  great 
portion  of  the  male  population  was  serving 
the  popular  cause  beyond  the  borders  of  the 


A  FLEET  SAILS    UP   THE  SOUND  183 

State.  The  handful  of  local  militia  trained  at 
every  opportunity,  and  gathered  such  martial 
resources  as  they  were  able  to  command. 
Washington  was  over  in  the  valley  of  the 
Hudson  with  all  available  men,  checking  any 
advance  the  enemy  might  attempt  to  the  north. 

Governor  Trumbull  had  received  appeal 
after  appeal  from  various  ports  of  the  State 
asking  help  and  protection,  but  his  hands 
were  almost  empty  of  resources,  so  he  was 
fain  to  strengthen  his  people  with  brave  and 
hopeful  words  alone.  Did  the  foe  turn  the 
tide  of  battle  into  Connecticut,  as  some  prophe- 
sied, the  Continental  army  would  come  to  the 
rescue  of  this  State,  which  had  been  so  lavish 
of  her  men  and  means ;  but  for  the  present, 
the  men  left  to  till  the  fields  and  gather  in 
train-bands  would  have  to  do  whatever  was 
achieved  by  way  of  defense  or  resistance. 

The  towns  alongshore  were  prosperous  and 
attractive  centres  of  trade  and  activity.  They 
contained  many  pleasant  homes  and  cultured 
people. 

New  Haven  was  the  seat  of  the  second  col- 
lege in  New  England. 

People  living  in  these  places  came  into  fre- 
quent contact  with  the  wide  world,  for  their 
ships  sped  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth. 


184  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  brought  to  them  the  fruits  of  every  far- 
away civilization. 

Connecticut  was  famous  for  her  numerous 
sea  captains,  men  of  large  experience  and  con- 
siderable wealth,  who  built  their  substantial 
homes  on  some  outlook  over  the  sea  and  settled 
down  to  the  calm  enjoyment  of  life's  late 
afternoon. 

There  were  many  scholars  and  men  of 
affairs  among  her  citizens,  descendants  of  an 
unmixed,  honorable  English  ancestry,  the  bone 
and  sinew  of  an  intellectual  aristocracy  des- 
tined to  exert  controlling  influence  in  the 
great  nation  that  was  rising  into  being. 

Fairfield  in  1779  was  outstripped  in  num- 
bers by  several  neighbors,  yet  it  had  attained 
fair  prominence  as  a  business  town,  there  being 
forty-eight  shops  and  stores  within  its  limits, 
a  large  amount  of  shipping  connected  with  its 
harbor  at  Black  Rock,  and  interminable  legal 
activity  in  the  county  court  house.  All  west- 
ern Connecticut  gravitated  to  Fairfield  as  the 
countv  seat,  the  centre  of  refined  and  culti- 
vated  society,  the  local  source  of  important 
movements,  the  headquarters  of  military  life 
in  the  section,  the  tow^n  which  represented  the 
wealth,  energy,  enthusiasm,  and  leadership  of 
a  vigorous  and  intelligent  patriotism. 


'■J 
< 


A  FLEET  SAILS    UP    THE  SOUND         185 

One  hundred  and  forty  years  had  passed 
since  Roo;:er  Ludlow  fathered  the  settlement. 
Five  generations  of  men  had  made  the  place 
their  home  and  given  their  worth  to  its  de- 
velopment. Lying  contiguous  to  the  Sound 
and  stretching  back  into  the  adjacent  hills^ 
laid  out  in  large  squares  intersected  by  rec- 
tangular streets,  shaded  by  regal  oaks  and 
elms  left  standing  when  the  place  was  cleared 
or  planted  later  by  industrious  hands,  there 
was  an  air  of  repose  and  comfort  about  it,  a 
brooding  spirit  of  intelligence,  hospitality, 
cheerful  ease,  sweet  content,  and  good  taste, 
that  won  every  heart  and  made  all  feel  at 
home.  There  was  a  freedom  and  an  amplitude 
to  the  characteristic  life  of  the  town,  a  high 
mood  of  conservative  friendliness  and  rational 
enjoyment,  almost  unique.  People  were  ex- 
tremely social,  and  this  sociability  was  tem- 
pered with  all  the  refinement,  the  gracious 
courtesy,  and  the  fine  moral  sensitiveness  of 
the  Puritan  gentry  at  their  best. 

For  many  years,  the  men  of  mark  in  the 
colonies  had  been  attracted  to  the  aristocratic, 
beautiful  country  town.  It  made  no  preten- 
sions to  opulence  or  greatness.  It  was  ob- 
scure. Yet  people  learned  to  love  Fairfield, 
and  to  find  in  its  varied  landscapes,  agreeable 


186  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

prosperity,  genial  citizens,  and  high-spirited 
Hfe  that  which  won  their  interest  and  loyalty. 
The  Adamses,  the  Warrens,  Otis,  Paine, 
Quincy,  Gerry,  Roger  Sherman,  Oliver  Wol- 
cott,  Benjamin  FrankHn,  Thomas  Jefferson, 
Lyman  Hall  (he  studied  medicine  here,  and 
married  for  his  first  wife  Mary  Burr),  General 
Putnam,  Silas  Deane,  President  Burr,  La- 
fayette, John  Jay,  Livingstone,  and  Schuyler, 
—  well-nigh  all  the  statesmen  of  the  country, 
and  many  a  commanding  officer  in  the  army, 
carried  pleasant  reminiscences  of  Fairfield 
with  them,  having  shared  at  some  time  or  other 
its  generous  fellowship. 

The  Connecticut  parsons  and  statesmen,  or 
poets  like  Barlow  and  Humphrey,  or  schol- 
ars like  Johnson,  Edwards,  Dwight,  Clap, 
delighted  in  the  congenial  atmosphere  of  the 
town  and  frequented  its  open  homes.  New- 
field  was  awaking  to  the  importance  of  its 
harbor,  and  the  signs  of  alert  enterprise  ap- 
peared on  the  surface  of  its  life,  yet  her 
homage  to  Fairfield  continued  unquestioned. 

The  Meeting-house  Green  was  a  scene  of 
countless  notable  gatherings,  the  place  for 
trainings,  the  centre  for  the  distribution  of 
justice,  a  trysting-place  for  friends  and  lovers, 
a  spot  made  sacred  by  the  tread  of  our  grand- 


A  FLEET  SAILS    UP    THE  SOUND  187 

est  men,  the  very  elect  of  the  western  world. 
With  what  veneration  the  people  of  sentiment 
and  imagination  regarded  the  few  ancient 
trees  that  still  graced  the  open  acres  in  the 
middle  of  the  village  !  The  court  house  stood 
near  the  centre ;  in  front  of  it,  and  to  the 
right  across  the  road,  was  the  plain,  substantial 
meeting-house  of  the  Prime  Ancient  Society, 
with  its  many  windows,  and  its  slender,  grace- 
ful spire  piercing  the  sky.  Along  the  edges 
of  the  square,  fringing  the  road  that  bounded 
the  interior  plat  of  green,  were  placed  a  few 
houses,  —  the  home  of  the  late  Rev.  Noah 
Hobart,  the  town  ordinary,  and  that  public 
necessity,  the  jail. 

While  there  was  no  display  or  lavish  ex- 
penditure in  public  edifice  or  private  dwelling, 
there  appeared  to  the  observer  many  evi- 
dences of  quiet  wealth  or  generous  compe- 
tence. Good  order,  thorough  w^orkmanship, 
and  an  excellent  condition  of  things  were  in 
constant  evidence.  People  took  pains  with 
their  property.  Thrift  was  a  word  often  sug- 
gested. One  felt  instinctively  that,  although 
war  raged  in  the  land,  the  spirit  of  industry 
still  prevailed,  and  these  people  were  doing 
their  best  to  brave  the  situation  and  carry 
their  heavy  burdens. 


188  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

On  the  night  of  July  3d,  David  was  dis- 
turbed by  a  pebble  tossed  against  his  bed- 
room window.  Desire  heard  it  and  responded 
on  the  instant.  David  quickly  dressed  him- 
self, and  hastened  to  admit  the  midnight 
visitor,  Desire  following  him  to  the  door.  For 
half  an  hour  the  three  held  their  whispered 
consultation,  and  then  the  visitor  departed. 

"  David,"  said  his  sister,  ^^  why  did  he  run 
such  a  risk  in  coming  to  us?  I  do  not  see 
that  anything  can  be  done,  and  now  he  must 
return  to  Huntington,  and,  mayhap,  fall  into 
the  clutches  of  the  enemy." 

"  He  has  done  what  seemed  to  him  for  the 
best.  His  judgment  may  be  at  fault,  but  I 
shall  never  doubt  his  integrity  or  patriotism 
hereafter." 

There  was  a  long  silence,  and  then  Lois 
crept  into  the  room,  the  three  sitting  down 
in  dumb  consternation ;  for  the  midnight 
caller  had  come  to  tell  them  that  Tryon 
was  on  the  wing,  and  that  the  British  were 
arranging  to  celebrate  the  Fourth  of  July 
(the  day  on  which  America  had  declared  her 
independence)  by  swooping  down  upon  the 
Connecticut  towns  and  making  the  long- 
threatened  raid. 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  watch  and 


A  FLEET  SAILS   UP   THE  SOUXD         189 

wait.  It  was  still  possible  that  Fairfield  might 
escape  "  The  Firebrand."  (This  was  the  new 
title  that  Desire  had  given  General  Tryon 
since  his  descent  upon  Danbury.)  New  Lon- 
don was  an  important  shore  town,  the  depot 
of  small  war  supplies.  New  Haven  was  large 
and  flourishing,  widely  famed  for  its  share  in 
resistino-  the  king^'s  measures.  It  must  be 
that  the  enemy  had  them  in  view. 

The  Rev.  Andrew  Eliot  preached  to  an 
anxious  congregation  on  Sunday,  July  4th, 
1779.  The  coast  guard  did  not  report  any 
foe  in  sight,  but  it  was  known  that  Tryon 
was  moving  up  the  Sound. 

Mr.  Eliot  spoke  patriotic  words  to  the 
assembled  people,  prayed  with  the  fervor  of 
an  old-time  prophet  for  the  success  of  the 
American  arms,  and  besought  the  mercy  of 
God  upon  the  distressed  worshipers. 

"  It  is  awful  to  think  that  we  are  facing 
destruction  and  nothing  can  be  done  to  avert 
it !  "  exclaimed  Desire,  as  she  walked  out  of 
the  meetinof-house  with  Mrs.  Thaddeus  Burr. 
"  Does  it  not  appear  to  you  that  Governor 
Trumbull  might  help  us  in  our  extremity  ?  " 

"  My  child,  the  governor  has  strained  every 
nerve,  for  he  has  been  the  fast  and  sustaining 
friend  of  General  Washington.     Did  he  have 


190  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  power,  this  coast  would  be  lined  with 
men-of-war  for  our  defense ;  but  his  hands  are 
tied,  and  we  must  not  ask  him  to  do  the  im- 
possible." 

Mrs.  Burr  spoke  with  an  air  of  conviction 
and  authority.  Her  husband  was  a  member 
of  Governor  Trumbull's  Council  of  Safety. 

"  If  they  land  off  our  shore,  what  shall  you 
do?  "  asked  Desire. 

"  I  shall  remain  in  my  home  and  try  to  pro- 
tect it." 

But  this  was  a  bold  and  perilous  thing  to 
do,  and  Desire  was  hoping  that  things  would 
not  come  to  that  pass. 

"  I  hear  the  neighbors  saying  that  it  will 
be  better  for  us  to  go  back  into  the  hills,  and 
Duane  advises  it,  if  worst  comes  to  worst." 

They  were  standing  on  the  Green,  the  sky 
clear,  the  air  balmy  and  fragrant,  nature 
adorned  with  all  the  luxury  of  summer  beauty. 
It  was  the  beginning  of  wheat  harvest,  a 
season  of  extraordinary  labor  and  festivity. 
Never  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant 
had  there  been  such  a  season  of  plenty. 

The  afternoon  service  was  conducted  under 
the  same  tense  feeling.  Every  ear  was  listen- 
ing for  some  news  of  the  fleet ;  and  when  the 
people  dispersed,  it  was  to  hasten  down  to  the 


A  FLEET  SAILS  UP  THE  SOUND  191 

shore  or  away  to  the  hills,  in  order  that  they 
might  scan  the  open  waters  of  the  sea. 

It  was  night  when  General  Try  on,  joined 
by  Sir  George  Collier,  the  commodore  at 
Huntington,  sailed  past  Fairfield  with  his  two 
men-of-war  and  forty-eight  row-galleys,  ten- 
ders, and  transports. 

Monday  was  another  day  of  uncertainty 
and  foreboding,  and  the  night  was  spent  in 
viofils.  Then  word  came  that  New  Haven 
was  given  to  the  flames  by  "  The  Firebrand." 

Tuesday  the  townspeople  began  to  pack  up 
their  valuables  and  such  stuff  as  was  easily 
transportable.  The  night  was  sleepless  and 
feverish. 

Wednesday  the  beach  was  lined  with  rest- 
less walkers,  eyes  ever  turned  toward  the  east. 

It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  when 
the  British  fleet  hove  in  sio-ht.  A  sino;le  shot 
fired  by  an  American  cannon  announced  their 
advent.  Then  the  fog  settled  down  upon  the 
scene,  and  there  was  faint  hope  of  escape  or 
relief. 

The  fort  at  Grover's  Hill  was  garrisoned 
by  twenty-three  men  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Jarvis,  while  the  small  band  of  militia 
under  Colonel  Whiting  gathered  on  the  Green 
and  awaited  the  onset  of  the  foe. 


192  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  foo'  lifted,  and  the  fleet  moved  in  to- 
ward  Kenzie's  Point.  Tryon  sent  on  shore 
copies  of  the  following  address  :  — 

To  THE  Inhabitants  of  Connecticut,  — 
The  ungenerous  and  wanton  insurrection 
against  the  sovereignty  of  Great  Britain,  into 
which  this  colony  has  been  deluded,  by  the 
artifice  of  desperate  and  designing  men,  for 
private  purposes,  might  well  justify  in  you 
every  fear  which  conscious  guilt  could  form 
respecting  the  intentions  of  the  present  arma- 
ment. 

Your  towns,  your  property,  and  yourselves 
lie  still  within  the  grasp  of  that  power  whose 
forbearance  you  have  ungenerously  construed 
into  fear,  but  whose  lenity  has  persisted  in 
its  mild  and  noble  efforts,  even  though  branded 
with  the  most  unworthy  imputation. 

The  existence  of  a  single  habitation  on 
your  defenseless  coast  ought  to  be  a  constant 
reproof  to  your  ingratitude.  Can  the  strength 
of  your  whole  province  cope  with  the  force 
which  might  at  any  time  be  poured  through 
every  district  in  your  country  ?  You  are  con- 
scious it  cannot.  Why,  then,  will  you  persist 
in  a  ruinous  and  ill-judged  resistance  ? 

We  had  hoped  that  you  would  recover  from 


A  FLEET  SAILS    UP   THE  SOUND  193 

the  frenzy  which  has  distracted  this  unhappy 
country,  and  we  believe  the  day  to  be  now 
come  when  the  greater  part  of  this  continent 
begin  to  blush  at  their  delusion.  You  who 
lie  so  much  in  our  power  afford  the  most 
striking  monument  of  our  mercy,  and  there- 
fore ought  to  set  the  first  example  of  return- 
ing to  allegiance. 

Reflect  upon  what  gratitude  requires  of 
you.  If  that  is  insufficient  to  move  you,  at- 
tend to  your  own  interests.  We  offer  you  a 
refuge  against  the  distress  which  you  univer- 
sally acknowledge  broods  with  increasing  and 
intolerable  weight  over  all  your  country. 

Leaving  you  to  consult  with  each  other 
upon  this  invitation,  we  do  declare  that  who- 
soever shall  be  found  and  remain  in  peace  at 
his  usual  place  of  residence  shall  be  shielded 
from  any  insult,  either  to  his  person  or  his 
property,  excepting  such  as  bear  offices,  either 
civil  or  military,  under  your  present  usurped 
government,  of  whom  it  will  be  further  re- 
quired that  they  shall  give  proofs  of  their 
penitence  and  voluntary  submission,  and  they 
shall  then  j)artake  the  like  immunity. 

Those  whose  folly  and  obstinacy  may  slight 
this  favorable  warning  must  take  notice  that 
they  are  not  to  expect  a  continuance  of  that 


194  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

lenity  which  their  inveteracy  would  now  ren- 
der blamable. 

Given  on  board  his  Majesty's  ship  Camilla, 
in  the  Sound,  4th  July,  1779. 

George  Collier. 

William  Tryon. 

A  copy  of  this  document  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  Colonel  Whiting,  who  returned  his 
answer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sayre  under  a  flag  of 
truce  :  — 

Fairfield,  July  7tli,  1779. 

Sir,  —  Connecticut  having  nobly  dared  to 
oppose  the  usurpations  of  an  unjust  and  op- 
pressive nation  (as  flames  have  preceded  the 
answer  to  your  flag),  we  hope  they  wdll  still 
continue,  as  far  as  in  their  power,  to  protect 
persecuted  and  oppressed  innocence. 

Sam.  Whiting,  Colonel. 
Sir  George  Collier  and  Governor  Tryon. 

Per  Mr.  Sayre  in  flag. 

David  Hardy  was  with  the  militia  on  the 
Green,  and  one  of  the  addresses  came  into  his 
possession.  He  smiled  grimly  at  the  proffers 
of  mercy,  and  settled  himself  to  the  stern  task 
of  resistance. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"  THE    FIREBRAND  "    KINDLES    FLAMES 

Every  horse  and  cart  in  town  had  been 
busy  all  day  Wednesday,  and  through  the 
night,  carrying  household  stuff  away  to  con- 
cealment in  the  woods.  Desire  and  Lois, 
with  the  help  of  Minto  and  Chloe,  packed  up 
the  Hnen,  the  wearing  apparel,  the  books,  the 
family  heirlooms  and  valuables,  and  sent 
them  up  to  General  Silliman's  on  Holland 
Hill,  where  they  were  stored  in  one  of  his 
slave  cabins.  The  whole  town  seemed  on  the 
move,  a  general  deportation  to  the  wooded 
hill  country,  amid  gravest  fears  and  sorriest 
anticipations. 

"  Desire,  it 's  like  a  hundred  funerals," 
said  Lois,  as  she  wiped  the  rebellious  tears 
from  her  wild  eyes.  "  I  feel  as  if  my  heart 
would  break.  Do  you  think  they  '11  set  our 
house  on  fire  and  leave  us  all  homeless  and 
unsheltered  ?  " 

"Child,  that  is  what  ^  The  Firebrand' 
comes  here  to  do.     He  '11  punish  the  people 


196  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

of  Connecticut  so  that  tliey  will  cry  for 
mercy,  I  suppose  he  thinks.  We  are  to  be 
made  an  example,  and  when  other  States  see 
how  we  are  humbled  and  distressed,  they  will 
all  prostrate  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the 
enemy  and  sue  for  peace." 

"  You  don't  believe  that  we  or  anybody 
else  will  ever  sue  for  peace,  do  you,  Desire?" 

There  was  a  flash  of  the  eye  and  a  curl  of 
the  lip  that  revealed  what  the  elder  sister 
believed  as  she  answered  Lois :  — 

"  Sue  for  peace  ?  Never,  so  long  as  there 
is  left  an  acre  on  which  we  can  fight  our  foe, 
and  a  man  or  a  woman  to  handle  a  musket !  " 

It  was  evident  that  Desire  Hardy  was  one 
to  fill  the  breach  or  discharge  the  ofiice,  when 
the  sterner  sex  failed. 

"  But  oh.  Desire,  I  cannot  bear  to  leave 
the  dear  place.  It 's  the  only  home  we  have 
ever  known,  and  every  room  and  nook  and 
cranny,  every  piece  of  furniture  and  old  keep- 
sake, is  a  reminder  of  happy,  happy  hours. 
It 's  cruel,  it 's  wicked,  to  drive  unarmed, 
helpless  people  into  want  and  beggary !  " 

"  Lois,  say  it  not  again.  It  is  holding  out 
against  the  decrees  of  God.  I  know  how  you 
love  the  old  place,  and  that  your  heart  bleeds, 
but  have  you  not  been  told  a  hundred  times 


A 


THE  FIREBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       197 

that  it  is  part  of  the  price  which  we  must  pay 
for  liberty?  Others  have  suffered  and  will 
suffer.  Are  we  better  than  they,  that  we 
ought  to  escape  ?  It  cuts  me  to  the  quick  as 
I  hear  the  scattered  shots,  the  muffled  uproar, 
and  see  that  our  town  will  be  swept  with  the 
scourge  of  fire  and  we  left  desolate,  but  I 
glory  in  the  spirit  of  our  heroes ;  I  say,  on  to 
the  end  of  the  strife ;  liberty  or  death  !  But 
here  comes  David." 

The  young  man  entered  in  great  haste. 
"  Colonel  Whiting  bids  me  cross  the  country 
and  take  the  news  of  the  enemy's  landing 
and  inform  General  Washino-ton  of  our  condi- 
tion.  I  must  ride  the  old  horse.  Come  with 
me  to  the  hills.  It  is  not  safe  for  you  to  stay. 
It  's  a  ribald,  godless  soldiery  that 's  coming 
up  Beach  Lane."  David  was  making  prepara- 
tions for  his  ride  while  talkino^  to  his  sisters. 

"  We  will  run  over  to  Mrs.  Burr's.  She 
has  entertained  General  Tryon  in  her  home, 
and  she  thinks  he  will  treat  her  with  courtesy. 
If  needs  be,  we  can  slip  away  to  General  Silli- 
man's  later.  I  'm  all  the  time  thinkinof"  that 
mayhap  there  will  be  something  that  I  can 
do.  I  hate  to  run  like  a  whipped  dog,"  said 
Desire  proudly. 

"  Good-by,  sisters.    God  keep  you.    I  '11  be 


198  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

back  as  soon  as  the  old  liorse  can  return. 
And  I  'm  hoping  to  bring  Major  Tallmadge." 

Away  sped  the  messenger,  while  the  sisters 
hurried  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Thaddeus  Burr, 
the  two  slaves  running  to  Holland  Hill,  where 
they  might  keep  an  eye  on  the  household 
stuff  that  was  hidden  from  the  enemy. 

The  march,  march,  of  apj^roaching  hosts 
sounded  above  the  din  and  confusion  of 
many  voices,  the  lowing  of  cattle  driven 
toward  the  back  country,  the  shrill  cries  of 
frightened  children,  and  the  babel  of  all  sorts 
of  noises  made  by  the  mixed  companies  of 
people,  as  they  withdrew  from  the  town  and 
searched  for  secure  retreat  above  or  beyond 
the  cross  currents  of  hideous  warfare.  Then 
followed  the  crack,  crack,  of  the  muskets,  the 
booming  of  cannon  from  Grover's  Hill,  the 
shouts  of  defiance  sent  from  the  hoarse 
throats  of  the  militia  on  the  Green,  the  sound 
of  a  charge,  wild  cries,  thick  utterance  of  a 
single  piece  of  ordnance  aimed  at  the  enemy, 
sudden  uproar  of  hundreds  upon  hundreds  of 
quick  shots,  the  murderous  clash  and  jangle 
of  assault :  the  British  were  in  possession  of 
the  Green,  the  patriot  defenders  of  the  town, 
overwhelmed  in  numbers,  driven  into  retreat 
and  dispersed  in  many  directions. 


THE  FIREBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       199 

"  There  was  only  a  handful  of  them,"  said 
Mrs.  Burr  to  Desire.  "  And  I  hear  that 
General  Tryon  commanded  three  thousand 
troops.  What  could  be  done  to  resist  such  a 
force  ?  " 

"  Well,  our  men  made  their  stand  even 
•when  they  knew  that  defeat  was  inevitable. 
They  are  brave  fellows,  and  they  shall  be 
honored  for  their  daring,"  exclaimed  Desire. 

The  riot  of  war  was  surging  around  them 
as  they  spoke.  Several  neighbors,  unable  to 
flee  to  the  country,  had  taken  refuge  at  the 
mansion,  and  they  made  a  distressed  com- 
pany. Still  Mrs.  Burr  held  out  hopes  of 
security. 

"I  have  met  several  of  the  officers,"  she 
observed  repeatedly,  "  and  they  are  gentle- 
men. I  cannot  think  they  will  be  rude  to 
us. 

"  Here  they  come,"  cried  Lois,  as  a  dozen, 
men  sprang  into  the  front  door  and  pounded 
the  floor  with  the  butt  end  of  their  muskets, 
shouting  for  Mr.  Burr. 

"  Here,  you  damned  rebel,  where  is  your 
husband  ?  "  One  of  the  ruffians  was  accost- 
ing Mrs.  Burr,  who  drew  herself  up  with  dig- 
nity and  stared  him  out  of  countenance. 

"  Ah,  my  sweet,  what  pretty  buckles  you 


200  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

wear ! "  The  fellow  stooped  down  before 
Desire  and  tore  the  silver  ornaments  from 
her  shoes,  while  another  redcoat  seized  the 
elegant  jewels  from  the  foot-gear  of  Mrs. 
Burr. 

"  Fine  curtains,  boys  !  "  exclaimed  a  jestful 
son  of  the  English  aristocracy,  as  he  reached 
up  to  the  heavy  damask  drapings  of  the  par- 
lor windows  and  wrenched  them  from  their 
fastenings.  "  Make  me  think  of  home,"  and 
he  jauntily  threw  one  over  his  shoulder  and 
tossed  a  second  to  his  nearest  comrade. 

"  Give  up  your  firearms,  old  woman,'* 
shouted  the  leader  of  the  band. 

Mrs.  Burr  was  in  the  prime  of  life,  a  person 
of  regal  manners  and  presence,  refined  and 
gracious,  with  high  forehead,  shapely  features, 
lustrous  eyes,  and  sensitive  mouth,  a  sweet  and 
beautiful  embodiment  of  the  highest  type  of 
womanhood.  She  had  never  been  addressed 
with  other  terms  than  those  of  deference, 
respect,  or  affection.  But  it  was  Desire  that 
interrupted  the  boisterous  demand  :  — 

"  Tell  me  where  the  arms  are  kept,  and  I 
will  get  them  for  these  creatures." 

There  was  a  dangerous  light  lurking  in  the 
eyes  of  the  speaker.  Nothing  of  fear  was  seen, 
rather  a  challenge  or  a  curse.     The  intruders 


*^ 


EUNICE  DEXXIE  BURR 


THE  FIBEBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       201 

did  not  stay  to  bandy  words  with  the  lady  or 
any  of  her  attendants ;  they  scattered  through 
the  house,  breaking  china,  overturning  fur- 
niture, ransacking  drawers,  steaHng  small 
objects  of  value,  making  their  way,  at  the 
last,  to  kitchen,  storeroom,  and  cellar,  where 
they  helped  themselves  to  food  and  drink, 
and  feasted  for  an  hour. 

When  one  set  of  despoilers  left  the  pre- 
mises another  followed,  so  that  there  was  no 
respite  for  Mrs.  Burr.  It  was  past  midday 
when  there  occurred  a  brief  diversion. 

"  I  believe  it  is  General  Tryon  himself  that 
is  coming,"  exclaimed  Desire,  as  she  surveyed 
the  scene  from  one  of  the  front  windows, 
and  saw  the  showily  dressed,  pompous  gentle- 
man tramp  across  the  yard  and  enter  the 
house. 

Mrs.  Burr  and  Desire  both  hastened  into 
the  hall  below. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  address  Mrs.  Burr," 
he  said,  bowing  with  studied  politeness. 

"  This  is  not  such  an  occasion,  your  Excel- 
lency, as  when  you  were  pleased  to  accept  our 
poor  hospitality  a  few  years  ago."  The  lady 
bowed,  speaking  with  agitation  which  she 
labored  hard  to  control. 

"  No  one  regrets  the  cruel  exigencies  of 


202  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

war  more  deeply  than  I,  madam.  I  must 
request  you  to  hand  over  to  me  whatever 
papers  and  documents  you  may  have  within 
your  house."  Underneath  the  exterior  of 
formal  courtesy  there  was  a  strong  current  of 
vindictive  feeling. 

"  The  house  contains  no  papers,  either 
public  or  private,  save  those  which  concern  my 
husband's  estate."  Mrs.  Burr  had  regained 
her  self-possession,  and  answered  with  an  air 
that  was  queenly. 

"  The  very  papers  that  we  want,  madam. 
We  want  them,  and  we  want  the  estate,  too, 
and  we  shall  have  them  both,  I  trow."  There 
was  a  note  of  exultation  in  his  speech.  "  I 
infer  that  you  have  not  read  the  address 
which  was  scattered  through  your  town  be- 
fore the  troops  landed  and  were  subjected  to 
the  indignity  of  resistance  on  the  part  of 
your  militia?  " 

"  /  have  read  it,  sir,  and  I  have  likewise 
heard  the  reply  which  Colonel  Whiting  sent 
you." 

Desire  had  descended  to  the  last  stair  when 
she  injected  herself  into  the  conversation. 
Her  entire  person  expressed  scorn,  wrath,  re- 
pulsion. As  Try  on  turned  to  the  speaker,  he 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  astonishment,  and 
stepped  back  a  pace. 


THE  FIREBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       203 

"  And  who  are  you,  I  pray,  that  dare  beard 
me  in  such  terms  ?  By  the  eternal  heavens, 
methinks  it  is  the  counterfeit  presentment  of 
Duane  Livingstone  !  "  The  man  passed  his 
hands  over  his  eyes,  as  if  to  make  sure  that 
vision  was  not  obscured. 

Desire  remained  speechless. 

"  I  will  find  the  papers  for  you,  sir,"  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Burr.  "  They  are  all  arranged 
in  this  secretary."  She  advanced  into  the 
adjoining  room,  followed  slowly  by  Try  on, 
who  still  gazed  upon  the  young  lady  in  the 
hall. 

When  they  emerged,  Desire  had  withdrawn 
upstairs.  General  Tryon  took  his  papers 
and  carried  them  hastily  over  to  the  court 
house. 

An  hour  later,  a  fourth  set  of  half  drunken 
brutes  entered  the  Burr  homestead. 

"  Come,  come,"  said  the  foremost  of  the 
band,  "  show  us  what  you  've  got  worth  tak- 
ing, and  hand  it  over  without  further  parley." 
They  were  standing  near  the  door  in  the  rear 
of  the  hall.  "  Do  I  not  see  a  watch  with  its 
furnishments  upon  your  person  ?  "  and  the 
fiend  grasped  Mrs.  Burr  by  the  wrist. 

"  You  villain,  loose  your  hold  upon  my 
arm  !  "    cried  the  lady.      But  he  struggled 


204  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

with  her,  threw  her  down  upon  the  floor,  and 
tore  the  very  clothes  from  her  bosom. 

"  Wretch,  let  go  !  let  go  !  "  shrieked  Desire, 
as  she  seized  the  brass-handled  poker  standing 
by  the  hearth,  and  swung  it  above  his  head 
Avith  such  force  that  he  sprang  one  side  with  a 
curse,  and  started  to  pursue  her  up  the  stairs, 
while  Mrs.  Burr  escaped  into  the  back  yard. 

At  this  moment  an  officer  appeared,  and 
sent  the  fellow  with  his  companions  away 
from  the  place. 

Late  in  the  day,  General  Tryon  called  again 
with  Captain  Chapman,  a  Tory  citizen  of 
Stratford,  who  had  cast  in  his  fortunes  with 
the  enemies  of  his  native  land. 

"  I  had  supposed,  sir,  that  it  was  an  army 
of  men,  and  not  a  horde  of  wild  beasts,  which 
had  taken  possession  of  our  town.  I  have 
been  subjected  to  the  grossest  indignities, 
your  creatures  attempting  to  take  the  very 
clothes  from  my  person,  and  rifling  me  of  the 
ornaments  which  I  use  as  articles  of  dress." 

There  was  the  flush  of  rio;hteous  anfrer 
upon  the  face  of  the  speaker,  as  she  stood 
forth  the  bold  accuser  of  Trvon. 

"  These  are  hard  and  grievous  days,"  ob- 
served Captain  Chapman  sympathetically. 
"  We  deplore  these  stern  circumstances." 


THE  FIBEBBAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       205 

"  You  must  carry  with  you  a  brave  heart, 
Mr.  Chapman,  to  have  the  audacity  to  enter 
my  house  at  this  time,  when  you  recall  the 
many  courtesies  we  have  extended  to  you  in 
years  past." 

*^  Madam,  madam,  forbear  your  unkind 
speeches.  I  am  here  not  to  gloat  over  your 
misfortune,  but  to  render  any  service  in  my 
power." 

"  See  that  I  am  treated  with  the  respect  and 
consideration  due  my  sex  and  station  !  See 
that  my  home  is  preserved  from  further  spolia- 
tion, and  that  the  few  people  who  have  fled  to 
my  protection  are  saved  from  the  abuses  that 
have  already  been  heaped  upon  me  !  " 

The  lady  was  addressing  General  Tryon, 
who  winced  under  the  just  charges  which 
she  brouo'ht  ag'ainst  his  men. 

"  Madam,  you  shall  have  sentries  placed 
before  your  door." 

The  order  was  immediately  given,  and  the 
watch  placed  over  the  premises. 

The  night  was  one  of  indescribable  horror. 
The  Hessians  had  been  let  loose  for  plunder. 
They  surged  up  and  down  the  streets  like  an 
angry  tide,  making  the  darkness  hideous  with 
their  mongrel  speech,  rough  oaths,  and  brutal 
tricks. 


206  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  slave  of  a  citizen  living  on  the  main 
street  fired  a  shot  from  an  upper  window  and 
killed  a  British  soldier.  His  comrades  rushed 
into  the  house,  seized  the  colored  patriot,  car- 
ried him  out  to  the  Green,  soaked  a  blanket 
in  rum,  wrapped  it  securely  about  the  victim, 
and  then  set  fire  to  the  poor  wretch.  While 
he  writhed  in  the  flames  consuming  his  clothes 
and  scarring  his  flesh,  the  redcoats  gazed  upon 
the  scene  with  savage  zest.  Everything  which 
the  people  left  in  their  homes  that  might 
please  the  cupidity  of  the  raiders  was  taken. 
The  few  women  who  ventured  to  stay  in  town 
in  order  to  save  their  property  were  most 
shamefully  maltreated,  being  comj)elled  to 
fight  like  tigers  in  numerous  cases  for  the 
defense  of  virtue  itself.  Occasional  shots 
were  heard  all  through  the  night.  Liquor 
flowed  in  rivers,  so  that  a  large  proportion  of 
the  soldiery  became  grossly  intoxicated  before 
the  morning.  When  a  house  had  been  suffi- 
ciently plundered,  and  there  was  nothing  left 
to  feed  their  rapacity,  the  enemy  applied  the 
torch,  beginning  this  latter  part  of  their  work 
an  hour  before  sunset  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Isaac  Jennings.  By  nine  o'clock,  half  a  dozen 
buildings  in  different  parts  of  the  town  were 
ablaze. 


THE  FIREBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       207 

"  The  Firebrand  "  had  taken  up  his  head- 
quarters in  the  home  of  a  Tory  family  on  the 
Green.  Here  he  was  beset  by  the  faithful 
wives  and  mothers  that  remained  in  town,  and 
appeal  after  appeal  made  to  stop  the  firing  of 
homes.  Mr.  Sayre  lent  his  supplications  to 
those  of  his  neighbors. 

"  No,"  Try  on  cried,  with  an  oath,  "  you  are 
a  pack  of  rebels,  and  deserve  to  be  hanged, 
drawn,  and  quartered.  Don't  talk  to  me  of 
mercy.  Have  n't  you  fought  the  king  like 
devils  ?  Did  n't  you  fire  upon  my  men  after 
I  had  offered  you  peace  and  clemency  ?  Are 
there  not  a  score  of  killed  or  wounded  among 
our  troops  ?  Is  not  this  place  a  vile  den  of 
arch  traitors,  engaged  in  helHsh  conspiracy  ? 
I  '11  put  a  firebrand  in  every  house,  store, 
shop,  barn,  shed,  and  building  that  curses  the 
ground  of  Fairfield.  Don't  try  to  parley  with 
me  lono^er." 

And  then  the  edict  went  forth  that  every- 
thing was  to  be  destroyed,  so  that  by  mid- 
night the  heavens  were  one  vast,  seething 
maelstrom  of  flames. 

The  horror  of  the  scene  was  intensified  by 
a  frightful  thunderstorm,  which  broke  above 
the  town  in  the  night.  It  had  gathered  from 
the  four  quarters  of  the  heavens,  and  massed 


208  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

its  forces  for  a  riotous  onset.  The  rain  fell 
in  deluges,  the  thick  blackness  being  pierced 
by  such  vivid  flashes  of  lightning  that  one's 
eyes  were  blinded  ;  the  crash  and  roar  of  the 
thunder  drowned  all  notes  of  misery  and  ex- 
cess that  filled  the  air ;  and  yet  the  awful 
work  of  destruction  went  on.  House  after 
house  was  given  to  the  flames.  When  oppo- 
sition was  encountered,  little  mercy  was  shown. 
The  slave  of  Mr.  Lewis  was  bayoneted  while 
trying  to  save  his  master's  property.  Mr. 
Solomon  Sturges,  an  esteemed  citizen,  was 
stabbed  repeatedly.  Several  bodies  were  cast 
into  the  cauldron  of  fire. 

Toward  morning.  Captain  Chapman  and 
General  Tryon  called  again  upon  Mrs.  Burr. 
It  had  been  a  night  of  awful  strain  and  agony 
for  the  people  housed  in  the  stately  mansion. 
From  the  windows  on  every  side  they  saw  the 
dwellings  and  property  of  friends  vanish  in 
the  furious  conflagration.  The  lurid  glare 
made  the  night  like  day.  The  shriek  of  some 
person  in  distress,  or  the  groans  of  the  dy- 
ing, fell  many  times  upon  their  ears.  The 
hour  before  sunrise  Mrs.  Burr,  was  summoned 
below  to  meet  her  callers. 

"I  beg  pardon  for  this  early  intrusion,'' 
said  General  Tryon,  "  but  my  work  will  be 


THE  FIREBRAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       209 

finished  soon,  and  we  shall  reembark.  I  do 
not  like  to  burn  churches  and  meeting-houses. 
I  have  therefore  ordered  that  they  be  left 
uninjured.  And  I  have  promised  to  save  the 
homes  of  Mr.  Say  re  and  Mr.  Eliot." 

The  speaker  paused,  evidently  awaiting 
some  word  of  gratitude  from  the  lady  he  was 
addressing. 

"  It  is  kind  of  you  to  spare  our  houses  of 
public  worship,  your  Excellency,"  answered 
Mrs.  Burr,  in  strained  and  wearied  tones.  "  I 
thank  you." 

"  With  your  permission  I  will  seat  myself 
at  this  desk  and  write  a  protection  for  your 
home." 

He  moved  across  the  room  with  condescen- 
sion and  sat  down. 

"  May  I  ask  for  pen,  ink,  and  paper  ?  " 
.   There  was  silence  in  the  room,  broken  by 
the  scratch  of  the  quill,  and  the  ominous  rise 
and  swell  of  the  conflagration  raging  through- 
out the  town. 

"  Madam,  it  irks  me  to  observe  your  dis- 
tress. But  I  have  served  you  to  the  extent 
of  my  authority." 

There  was  a  pause,  interrupted  by  an  hys- 
terical laugh.  General  Tryon  lifted  his  eyes 
and  beheld  Desire  standing  in  the  doorway. 


210  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Captain  Chapman  bowed  deferentially  to  tlie 
newcomer. 

"Madam,  may  I  inquire  the  name  of  the 
person  that  honors  you  with  her  company  ?  " 
There  was  a  shadow  upon  his  face,  and  his 
tone  of  inquiry  was  rude.  "  I  trace  a  star- 
tling resemblance  to  a  gentleman  of  my  ac- 
quaintance in  New  York.  I  have  reason  to 
suspect  his  loyalty  to  our  sovereign,  and  I 
swear  that  I  saw  him  on  the  hills  of  Danbury 
two  years  ago  fighting  with  the  rebels.  It  is 
not  possible  "  —  he  hesitated  a  moment,  gave 
an  unpleasant  look  toward  the  individual 
standing  in  the  shadows,  and  then  continued 
—  "that  Mr.  Duane  Livingstone  is  a  magician, 
and  has  the  power  to  transform  himself  into 
the  semblance  of  one  of  the  gentler  sex  ?  " 

"  It  is  Miss  Desire  Hardy,"  suddenly  ex- 
plained Captain  Chapman,  "  the  daughter  of 
the  old  schoolmaster.  I  will  vouch  for  her 
identity." 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  protection  which  is 
granted  me,"  said  Mrs.  Burr,  with  sudden 
spirit,  evidently  wishing  to  divert  attention 
from  Desire.     "  I  trust  that  it  will  avail,  sir." 

General  Tryon  had  risen  from  his  chair, 
when  one  of  his  subalterns  entered  the  house, 
crossed  the  room,  and  whispered  in  his  ear. 


THE  FIBEBEAND  KINDLES  FLAMES       211 

"  I  bid  you  good-day,  madam,  and  hope 
that  the  time  will  soon  come  when  we  shall 
again  meet  in  amity  as  loyal  subjects  of  his 
gracious  Majesty  our  king." 

Without  tarrying  to  receive  her  devoirs,  the 
three  men  hastily  withdrew  from  the  apart- 
ment. 

Intelligence  had  come  to  Tryon  that  all 
western  Connecticut  was  rising  in  arms.  It 
was  expedient  for  him  to  end  his  task  and  set 
sail  for  Huntington.  Firing  the  remaining 
buildings  in  the  early  light  of  the  day,  the 
word  was  at  length  passed  for  the  troops  to 
make  their  way  to  the  shore,  the  sentries 
placed  to  guard  the  home  of  Mrs.  Burr  being 
withdrawn.  No  sooner  were  they  gone  than 
roving  bands  of  stragglers  appeared. 

"  I  have  a  protection  from  General  Tryon," 
exclaimed  the  lady,  when  these  ruffians  dashed 
into  the  house  and  began  their  final  work  of 
demolition. 

"  Tryon  be  damned  !  "  they  shouted.  And 
as  Mrs.  Burr  was  in  the  act  of  showinof  the 
brief  writing  to  them,  they  snatched  it  from 
her  hands,  tore  it  into  fragments,  and  con- 
tinued their  desperate  conduct.  As  Mrs. 
Burr  had  stayed  in  her  home  with  the  hope 
that  she  might  save  it,  and  as  General  Tryon 


212  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

had  at  last  pledged  her  that  the  torch  should 
not  be  applied,  Httle  or  nothing  had  been 
removed  except  what  the  British  miscreants 
had  stolen.  Now  the  creatures  in  possession 
had  full  swing,  and  were  altogether  heedless 
of  orders  or  consequences.  They  seized  the 
lady's  pocket-book,  taking  it  forcibly  from 
her  person ;  they  rifled  her  of  the  gold  but- 
tons used  to  fasten  her  garments,  and  threat- 
ened in  foulest  language  hfe  itself.  In  the 
extremity  of  their  terror  and  anguish,  the 
women  all  fled  to  the  meadows  at  the  rear  of 
the  mansion,  and  no  sooner  were  they  hidden 
from  the  sight  of  the  ravishers  than  smoke 
was  seen  to  issue  from  the  windows.  A  few 
moments  later,  the  entire  house  was  wrapped 
in  flames. 

There,  in  the  welcome  seclusion  of  the 
marsh  grasses,  the  friends  gave  way  to  tears, 
while  their  moans  were  caught  up  by  the 
breezes  pushing  in  from  the  sea,  and  made  to 
blend  with  the  wild,  doleful  notes  of  the  rag- 
ing fire-storm,  and  the  hoarse,  fiendish  clamor 
of  the  departing  Hessians  and  refugees. 


CHAPTEK  XV 

SKY   A    COVERI^^G,    EARTH    A    COUCH 

David  Hardy  returned  from  his  forced 
ride  across  country  in  the  forenoon  of  Thurs- 
day, the  8th  of  July.  He  had  seen  Gen- 
eral Washington,  and  Major  Tallmadge  was 
dispatched  with  a  body  of  light  infantry  to 
aid  the  militia  in  driving  Tryon  and  his  army 
from  the  Connecticut  shores. 

As  the  enemy  withdrew,  the  little  fort  on 
Grover's  Hill,  which  had  never  ceased  to 
throw  its  shot  into  the  ranks  of  the  British 
through  the  night  and  morning,  still  con- 
tinued to  harass  them.  A  company  of  red- 
coats had  been  sent  over  to  Black  Rock  to 
dislodge  the  patriots,  but  without  success. 

Erected  in  1776  to  protect  the  town  and 
harbor  against  the  petty  incursions  of  Long 
Island  Tories,  supplied  with  cannon  from  the 
furnaces  of  Salisbury,  this  battery,  with  its 
barracks  and  defenses,  had  become  a  pet  with 
the  people,  and  on  numerous  occasions  re- 
sisted the  assaults  of  the  enemy  j)rowling  in 


214  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

these  waters.  While  the  fort,  during  the 
burning  of  Fairfield,  availed  naught  in  the 
preservation  of  property,  still  it  was  a  factor 
in  the  heartening  of  the  people,  and  from  this 
point  of  vantage  and  others  the  Americans, 
who  had  responded  to  the  summons  of  Colonel 
Whiting  and  his  subordinates,  poured  in  their 
vexatious  fire,  so  that  the  retreat,  while  con- 
ducted with  military  precision,  was  subject  to 
severe  distress.  But  the  wounded  were  taken 
along  by  their  comrades,  and  a  fair-sized  com- 
pany of  fresh  refugees  joined  the  fleet. 

The  course  pursued  by  Mr.  Sayre,  having 
alienated  the  entire  community,  forced  him  to 
leave  Fairfield. 

"  It  was  in  the  midst  of  hostilities,  while 
the  flames  were  raging  and  the  bullets  flying," 
observed  Mr.  Eliot  to  David  on  his  return  to 
the  scene  of  desolation,  "  that  Mr.  Sayre  came 
out  with  a  flag  of  truce.  We  had  gone  back 
into  the  hills  and  the  woods  skirting  the  town. 
What  was  Tryon's  proclamation  to  us  ?  And 
was  not  that  a  strange  hour  and  occasion  to 
speak  with  us  concerning  clemency?  We 
sent  back  a  very  spirited  reply.  And  we 
were  justly  indignant  that  Mr.  Sayre  should 
have  consented  to  bear  such  a  message  to  us. 
Dire  threats  were  made  against  him,  and  I 


SKY  A   COVERING,   EARTH  A   COUCH     215 

hear  this  morning  that  he  and  all  his  family 
have  retired  on  shipboard,  although  I  was 
told  that  Tryon  said,  '  You  may  go  on  board 
the  ships,  sir,  but  I  cannot  promise  you  any 
assistance.'  " 

David  had  ridden  to  Holland  Hill,  and  he 
had  met  the  minister  as  he  moved  rapidly 
among  the  friends  that  he  was  comforting. 

"  AYhere  shall  I  find  Desire  ? "  said  her 
brother,  who  was,  looking  in  various  direc- 
tions, with  the  hope  of  distinguishing  her 
among  the  people. 

"  Why,  Desire  stayed  with  Mrs.  Burr,  and 
so  did  Lois.  I  tried  to  o^et  them  to  come  back 
here  to  the  Heights,  but  Mrs.  Burr  believed 
that  she  might  save  her  home,  and  the  girls 
chose  to  remain." 

"  And  was  the  Burr  mansion  left  un- 
touched ?  "  continued  David  anxiously. 

"  I  cannot  say.  The  sky  has  been  so  ob- 
scured with  thick  clouds  of  smoke  that  it  was 
impossible  to  measure  the  ravages  of  the 
enemy.  But  I  will  return  with  you,  and  we 
will  find  the  children.  Poor  Mrs.  Silliman 
did  not  venture  to  stay  in  her  house,  so  she 
put  the  horses  to  their  big  wagon  and  started 
for  Trumbull,  when  the  first  booming  of 
cannon  announced  the  landing  of  the  enemy/ 


216  ^iV^   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

but  the  general's  house  is  filled  with  his 
friends.  Captain  Bartram  is  there,  sadly 
wounded.  My  wife  and  three  children  and 
several  of  our  neighbors  came  with  me.  What 
a  night  we  have  lived !  First  we  saw  the 
flames  issuing  from  some  dwelling  back  of 
the  meeting-house,  then  I  recognized  Sheriff 
Abel's  place,  and  then  it  was  a  barn  in  the 
western  part  of  the  town,  and  a  little  later 
several  of  the  shops  along,  the  main  street. 
By  midnight,  it  seemed  as  if  half  the  village 
was  on  fire,  and  it  boiled  and  seethed  like 
an  immense  cauldron,  the  crackling  and  hiss- 
ing of  the  flames  sounding  in  our  ears  at 
Holland  Hill."  The  two  men  were  now  has- 
tening toward  the  desolated  place. 

"  Did  not  the  train-band  attack  the  enemy  ? 
Couldn't  our  men  do  anything  to  stop  the 
depredations  of  the  savages  ?  " 

"  No,  David ;  we  were  only  a  few  men,  and 
they  were  a  host.  To  be  sure,  our  soldiers 
have  been  watching  through  the  day  and  the 
night,  picking  off  a  redcoat  now  and  then, 
and  doing  whatever  was  possible  to  annoy 
and  disconcert  them  ;  but  the  enemy  have  had 
their  own  way,  and  we  've  been  almost  help- 
less in  their  hands." 

As  they  were  talking,  the  fresh  winds  from 


SKY  A  COVERING,   EARTH  A  COUCH     217 

the  north  came  with  their  cool  breath  and 
brushed  some  portions  of  the  thick,  brooding 
blackness  away  from  the  landscape  beneath 
them.  What  a  sight  it  was  that  unfolded  to 
their  view ! 

"  Mr.  Eliot,  methinks  they  have  obliter- 
ated the  town,"  said  David,  with  emotion. 
"  Colonel  Gould's  house  ought  to  be  there," 
—  he  pointed  to  a  mass  of  charred  ruins  near 
the  creek  that  ran  in  from  the  sea,  — "  the 
Green  ought  to  be  over  there,"  pointing  to 
the  southwest ;  "  but  there  is  n't  a  distinguish- 
able object  visible.  Everything  is  gone.  Not 
even  a  barn  remains  to  guide  the  eye."  The 
young  man  stopped  again  to  master  his  feel- 
ings.    "  Oh,  is  n't  it  pitiful  —  pitiful  !  " 

"  And  I  believe  the  meetings-house  has  sfone 
too,"  suddenly  exclaimed  Mr.  Eliot.  "  Gen- 
eral Tryon  promised  Mr.  Sayre  that  both  the 
sanctuaries  should  be  preserved.  Is  it  possi- 
ble that  he  is  such  a  miscreant  that  not  even 
a  place  of  prayer  is  sacred  to  him?" 

The  sense  of  loss  was  overwhelming  to  the 
minister.  He  had  put  confidence  in  the 
pledge  of  the  British  officer,  and  believed 
that  God's  house  would  be  respected.  As  his 
eyes  swept  the  eastern  portion  of  the  town 
and   Green,  it   struck  him  again  with  awful 


218  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

force  that  the  cruelties  of  war  are  beyond 
human  language  to  depict. 

Nearing  the  village,  they  were  joined  by 
small  bands  of  people  who  had  been  hovering 
nigh  in  hopes  that  the  enemy  would  soon 
drop  their  work  and  put  to  sea ;  so  it  was  a 
considerable  company  that  hurried  by  the 
smoking  heap  where  formerly  stood  the  Gould 
homestead  and  made  for  the  Green.  On  every 
side  it  was  the  blackest  desolation.  Charred 
timbers  lifted  their  repulsive  forms  into  the 
air ;  great  chimneys  stood  forth  smoke-marked 
and  solitary  ;  withered,  leafless  trees  kept  sen- 
tinel along  the  streets ;  gaping  cellars,  smoul- 
dering masses  of  wood,  blighted  gardens  and 
fields,  scorched  door-yards,  stretched  in  the 
distance  as  far  as  the  eve  could  reach ;  and 
beyond  were  wreaths,  eddies,  clouds  of  smoke, 
and  the  gathering  whirlwinds  of  ashes,  sweep- 
ing now  one  way  and  now  another.  The 
enemy  had  landed  in  two  parts  of  the  town, 
coming  together  as  they  completed  their  work, 
so  that  the  entire  village  was  devastated. 

"  Mrs.  Redfield  saved  her  house,"  said  one 
of  the  boys  that  David  met,  as  he  came  to 
the  Green.  "Mrs.  Nichols  put  her  fire  out 
with  her  dye-tub,  and  General  Tryon  stayed  in 
the  Bulkleys'  house,  and  there  are  two  other 


SKY  A   COVERING,   EABTH  A   COUCH     219 

houses  on  the  Green,  and  Mrs.  Rowland  drove 
the  Hessians  away  from  hers,  but  everything 
else  is  burned." 

The  people  were  now  trooping  in  from  many 
directions.  The  sound  of  firing  ceased,  for 
the  British  had  embarked  and  gone  across 
to  Huntington.  Major  Tallmadge  and  his 
infantry  arrived,  and  their  tents  were  filling 
a  part  of  the  Green,  the  commanding  officer 
making  his  headquarters  in  the  convenient 
mansion  that  had  been  used  by  Tryon ;  there 
"was  the  subdued  tumult  of  horses,  wagons, 
hurrying  feet,  crying  children,  anxious  par- 
ents, hungry  men  and  women,  heart-broken 
home-lovers,  sick,  wounded,  and  distressed 
people  who  knew  not  where  to  lay  their  heads, 
or  from  whence  would  come  the  food  to  keep 
them  from  starvation. 

"  Oh,  David,  David,  have  you  come  at 
last  ?  "  cried  Lois,  as  her  brother  picked  his 
way  through  ruins  and  reached  one  of  the 
sheds  on  the  Burr  place  standing  near  the 
marshes.  "  It  has  been  the  awfulest  night 
of  a  lifetime.  We  've  been  robbed,  beaten, 
insulted,  and  driven  into  the  fields,  and  we  're 
almost  dead.  Mrs.  Burr  and  Desire  are  there 
in  the  hut  trying  to  do  something  for  the 
sufferers  brought  to  us.     You  never  saw  such 


220  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

savages  in  all  your  life.  There  was  nothing 
too  wicked  for  them  to  stoop  to  do.  Why, 
they  took  the  rings  off  Mrs.  Burr's  fingers, 
and  stole  my  beautiful  brooch  that  Aaron 
Burr  sent  to  me  and  they  burned  one  of  our 
soldiers  alive,  and  they  stabbed  several  slaves 
with  their  bayonets  so  that  they  died;  and, 
oh,  what  didn't  they  do  that  was  inhuman 
and  devilish !  " 

"  Why,  child,"  said  David,  "  I  'm  thankful 
to  see  you  alive  again.  I  told  you  not  to  stay 
in  the  town,  but  to  go  to  General  Silliman's. 
They  're  a  pack  of  fiends.  I  knew  it,  for  I 
saw  them  at  Danbury  and  Ridgefield." 

And  then  David  met  Desire  and  Mrs.  Burr, 
and  the  story  of  their  agony  was  told. 

Later  in  the  day,  Major  Tallmadge  called. 
So  unexpected  had  been  the  firing  of  the 
Burr  house  that  its  mistress,  having  saved 
nothing  from  it,  found  herself  in  extreme 
need.  The  clothes,  torn  and  soiled,  which 
she  wore,  and  a  few  pieces  of  old  furniture 
that  had  been  cast  into  one  of  the  sheds, 
constituted  the  capital  on  which  she  was  to 
begin  her  new  housekeeping. 

"  I  can  offer  you  this  bench,  Major  Tall- 
madge," said  the  lady,  as  he  lingered  at  her 
door  and  entered  into  conversation. 


V 


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COLONEL  BENJAMIN  TALLMADGE 


SKY  A   COVERING,  EARTH  A   COUCH     221 

The  gentleman  was  a  tall,  robust,  manly 
young  soldier,  with  delightful  suavity  of  man- 
ner and  a  most  genial  flow  of  spirits. 

"  Mayhap  he  would  prefer  this  tub/'  said 
Desire,  whose  sense  of  humor  was  keen,  even 
in  the  midst  of  poverty  and  distress. 

"  You  honor  me,"  replied  the  brilliant, 
popular  officer.  "  Let  those  who  better  de- 
serve it  enjoy  the  luxury  of  a  bench  or  a  tub. 
I  will  stand,  ladies." 

The  cloud  was  already  lifting  from  the 
countenance  of  Desire.  The  safe  return  of 
her  brother,  and  the  sense  of  security  which 
comes  with  the  knowledge  that  the  worst  has 
been  suffered  and  there  can  be  no  repetition 
of  the  woeful  experience,  served  to  cheer  and 
sustain  her.  Sleep  had  not  visited  them  for 
several  nights,  so  that  eyes  were  heavy  and 
deep  furrows  appeared  on  many  a  face.  The 
bitterness  of  loss  and  insult  remained  keen. 
The  nervous  strain  through  which  they  had 
passed  showed  itself  in  tense  speech  and  ex- 
cited action. 

But  Desire  was  not  one  to  give  way  to 
trouble.  In  fact,  the  dark,  tragic  hours  served 
to  bring  into  exquisite  relief  certain  beautiful 
traits  of  character.  Now  was  the  time  to  rise 
above  the  prevailing  sorrow  and  wretchedness, 


222  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

manifesting  to  friends  one's  superiority  to 
circumstances.  She  was  so  fagged  that  her 
limbs  rebelled  when  she  moved  from  place  to 
place  in  her  attendance  upon  the  sick  and 
aged,  yet  she  resolved  that  it  should  not  be 
observed.  She  was  hungry,  and  provisions 
were  so  scarce  that  it  was  an  open  question 
whether  they  would  have  anything  to  eat  that 
night,  yet  she  showed  no  signs  of  hunger. 
On  the  contrary,  their  common  need  made  her 
inventive  of  expedients. 

"  David,"  she  said,  "  I  wish  you  would  go 
over  to  what  remains  of  our  place  and  see  if 
they  burned  the  corn  which  we  left  standing 
in  the  field  back  of  the  barn.  If  you  will 
find  our  hidden  treasures,  we  can  sup  like 
princes.  Be  careful  and  don't  tread  on  any 
household  stuff,  for  I  threw  a  lot  of  bedding 
and  furniture  among  the  thrifty  stalks.  If 
it  is  n't  all  consumed,  we  shall  have  to  de- 
pend upon  it  for  comfort  these  many  days."  • 

David  and  Lois  went  over  to  the  cornfield. 
It  was  one  of  the  things  left  intact  by  the 
despoilers.  While  they  were  searching  for 
provisions,  Minto  and  Chloe  appeared  on  the 
scene. 

"  De  Lo'd  be  praised,"  exclaimed  the  faith- 
ful old  colored  woman.     "  Here  's  Mas'r  Da- 


SKY  A   COVERING,   EARTH  A   COUCH     223 

vid  an'  Mis'  Lois.  Oh,  cliillun,  we  's  been 
"worried  to  death  'bout  you.  An'  what 's  cum 
obMis'  D'sire?" 

"  De  Lo'd  hab  mehcy  on  us/'  cried  Minto. 
"  I 's  been  awfully  'minded  o'  de  day  ob  judg- 
ment.    Whar'  is  Mis'  D'sire,  Mas'r  David  ?  " 

"  Oh,  she  's  safe  and  sound  down  at  Mrs. 
Burr's.  But  we  're  almost  starved  to  death. 
We  have  n't  had  much  to  eat  for  an  age. 
Come,  now,  turn  to  and  search  the  field,  and 
look  out  you  don't  smash  anything  that  you 
find  underfoot.  We  've  stored  our  house- 
hold goods  here,  you  remember." 

"  Shall  I  go  fo'  de  cow  ?  She  's  back  in 
de  wood-lot,  sah,"  said  Minto. 

"  Why,  yes,  that 's  the  very  thing,"  ex- 
claimed Lois.  "  How  good  a  cup  of  nice, 
fresh  milk  would  taste  !  " 

So  Minto  retraced  his  steps  into  the  woods, 
David  dug  j)otatoes,  while  Lois  and  Chloe, 
picking  a  careful  way  amid  the  lush  greenery 
of  the  field,  searched  for  a  pot  of  butter,  a 
piece  of  dried  beef,  and  some  odds  and  ends 
of  Indian  bread  and  douo:hnuts  that  had  been 
recklessly  tossed  into  a  big  brass  kettle.  The 
simple  fare  was  a  godsend.  They  hastened 
down  the  street  with  it,  and  came  to  the  hut 
on  the  Burr  place  with  all  the  exultant  pride 


224  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

of  a  hunter  who  returns  home  laden  with  the 
riches  of  abundant  game. 

"  Now  we  are  to  feast/'  shouted  David, 
when  he  was  within  the  hearing  of  his  sister. 

Despite  smoking  ruins,  worn  bodies,  loss  of 
worldly  gear,  sound  of  dismal  grief,  or  awful 
reaction  of  mind,  there  was  a  cheerful  party 
moving  about  the  hut. 

Chloe  washed  the  soil  from  the  potatoes; 
David  and  Major  Tallmadge  made  the  fire 
where  the  roots  were  to  be  roasted  and  the 
kettle  boiled;  Lois  borrowed  the  sword  of  the 
officer,  and,  unbeknown  to  him,  sliced  off 
strips  of  dark  crimson  beef ;  Desire  told  where 
she  had  concealed  some  of  her  precious  linen 
(such  as  had  not  been  carried  to  Holland 
Hill),  so  that  a  spotless,  beautiful  cloth  was 
spread ;  salt  and  pepper  were  found ;  Minto 
arrived  with  his  pail  of  fresh  milk ;  and  then 
all  were  ready  for  the  feast. 

They  seated  themselves  in  the  back  yard, 
where  the  grass  was  unscorched  and  a  noble 
elm  sheltered  them.  The  sun  was  going 
down  behind  the  low  hill  in  the  west.  The 
sky  had  partially  cleared,  and  the  salt  winds, 
speeding  to  them  over  the  marshes,  drove 
away  the  odors  of  burning  homes,  barns,  and 
produce.      The    hum    and    tumult    of   voices 


SKY  A   COVEBING,  EARTH  A  COUCH     225 

fell  upon  their  ears  with  not  ungrateful  ca- 
dence, while  the  sweet  calm  of  a  beautiful 
midsummer  twilight  settled  down  upon  the 
strangle  scene.  Never  did  the  lordliest  fare 
taste  better  to  the  most  favored  diner-out 
than  did  stale  Indian  bread,  chipped  beef,  hot 
roast  potatoes,  golden  butter  well  salted,  fat 
old-fashioned  doughnuts  crisp  and  light,  with 
tin  cups  brimful  of  milk,  taste  to  these  home- 
less, thirsty,  distraught  people. 

''  How  good  it  seems  to  take  a  few  mouth- 
f  uls  that  are  not  embittered  by  the  insults  of 
inhuman  foes,"  said  Mrs.  Burr,  who  was  pre- 
siding over  the  feast  with  all  the  fine  grace 
and  dignity  that  had  marked  her  when  she 
entertained  the  great  and  good  of  the  land 
in  her  now  desecrated  mansion. 

"  Let  us  think  of  our  mercies,"  replied 
David.  "We  can  live  on  potatoes  all  sum- 
mer. It 's  a  flourishing  field  that  we  own. 
And  the  cow  remains.  It 's  a  wonder  that 
the  miscreants  did  n't  kill  every  piece  of  stock 
in  the  neighborhood.  And  Desire  has  saved 
all  her  linen.  We  can  make  it  up  into  frocks 
and  dresses.  And  the  sheep-shearing  will 
give  us  all  the  wool  we  need ;  and  we  can 
camp  out  under  the  trees  that  passed  through 
the  fire  unscathed,  or  burrow  in  the  ground 


226  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

until  we  make  some  log  huts  and  begin  where 
our  forefathers  did  a  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago." 

"  I  think  it  '11  be  fun  to  live  out  of  doors  all 
summer/'  interrupted  Lois.  ^^  It 's  so  delight- 
fully simple  and  primitive  !  " 

The  conversation  flowed  along,  their  spirits 
soothed  and  strengthened. 

But  it  was  a  night  of  tears,  bitterness,  and 
pain  to  the  great  mass  of  the  people.  As 
they  came  back  to  the  village  with  the  few 
articles  which  they  had  carried  with  them 
into  their  retreat,  it  was  to  find  their  homes 
annihilated.  And  it  was  women  and  chil- 
dren that  necessarily  bore  the  brunt  of  the  dis- 
tress, for  the  men  were  away  in  their  country's 
service. 

The  majority  of  the  people  stretched  them- 
selves upon  the  ground  near  the  ashes,  still 
hot  and  smouldering,  and  there,  roofless  and 
supperless,  gave  way  to  sleep. 

Major  Tallmadge,  Mrs.  Burr,  Desire,  and 
David  talked  into  the  night ;  then  the  hostess 
withdrew  to  her  hut,  the  commanding  officer 
to  his  headquarters  in  the  Bulkley  house, 
while  the  Hardy  young  people  spread  their 
bedding  along  the  edges  of  their  cornfield, 
thinking   it   wise    to    look    after    the    httle 


SKY  A   COVEBING,  EARTH  A  COUCH     227 

property  which  was  left  them,  since  the  fire 
had  attracted  to  the  town  various  suspicious 
characters,  and  there  had  been  losses  at  the 
hands  of  other  than  British  vandals  and 
robbers. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

ONE    MYSTERIOUS    PASSENGER 

Toward  morning,  David  was  aroused  by 
stealthy  footsteps  near  him.  He  listened  in- 
tently, crept  in  the  direction  of  the  open 
land,  and  peered  through  the  gloom.  Soon 
the  form  of  a  man  loomed  in  the  distance ; 
then,  by  the  dim  light  against  which  the 
visitor  stood  as  he  appeared  along  the  hori- 
zon, David  recognized  the  motions  of  Duane 
Livingstone.  The  two  young  men  were  soon 
clasped  in  each  other's  embrace.  They  tried 
to  be  quiet  in  their  communications,  but  the 
sharp  ears  of  Desire  detected  them.  It  was 
only  a  moment  before  she  was  by  their  side, 
taking  part  in  their  suppressed  conversation. 

"  Duane,  Duane,  you  ought  not  to  have 
done  this  thing,  and  you  know  it !  "  whispered 
the  girl,  with  every  evidence  of  agitation  in 
her  voice.  "  Why  will  you  run  such  risks  ? 
I  cannot  for  the  life  of  me  see  how  you  stole 
into  the  village.  Every  road  and  spot  is 
picketed,  and  Major  Tallmadge  is  taking  the 


ONE  MYSTERIOUS  PASSEXGER  229 

greatest  pains  to  preserve  order  and  keep  us 
free  of  intruders." 

"  Why,  Desire,  do  you  suppose  I  could  stay 
on  Lono^  Island  when  I  saw  the  smoke  of 
Fairfield  filling*  the  heavens  ?  I  knew  what 
it  meant.  I  told  you  it  was  coming.  AYhy 
did  n't  you  flee  ?  " 

"It's  like  a  Hardy  to  flee  in  face  of 
danger,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

One  might  feel  the  flash  of  Desire's  eyes, 
even  if  he  could  not  see  it. 

"  But  what  good  was  there  in  your  stay- 
ing? You  could  do  nothing.  The  place 
was  consigned  to  the  flames  weeks  ago. 
Judge  Jones  has  told  General  Tryon  many 
times  that  more  than  half  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town  were  Tories,  but  he  never  believed 
it.  He 's  been  determined  to  destroy  Fair- 
field ever  since  the  burnino^  of  Colonel  Delan- 
cey's  house  in  Westchester.  That  incident 
seemed  to  inflame  him  as  a  red  flag  does  a 
wild  bull." 

"  Duane,  you  had  no  business  to  come  here 
to-night.  I  wish  you  would  go  away.  You  '11 
surely  be  seen  in  the  morning.  We  have  n't 
a  corner  where  we  can  hide  you.  Major 
Tallmado:e's  infantrv  and  hundreds  of  the 
militia  are  here,  or  in  the  neighborhood.    Oh, 


230  AN   UNKNOWN  PATEIOT 

Duane,  I  wish  you  had  n't  come !  It  adds  to 
our  worry  and  perplexity." 

The  cousin  was  deeply  moved  by  this  out- 
burst of  feeling.  He  bent  over  Desire,  and 
whispered  something  that  David  did  not  hear. 

"Oh  !"  groaned  Desire,  and  then,  lifting  her 
head  suddenly,  she  peered  into  the  encircling 
gloom  to  observe  if  any  listener  was  visible. 

"  David/'  continued  Duane,  "  you  must 
hide  me  through  the  day.  I  can't  return 
to  Huntington  to-night.  It  is  too  late.  I  '11 
promise  to  get  away  some  time  within  the 
next  twenty  hours." 

There  followed  a  long  consultation  within 
the  curious  solitude  of  the  cornfield.  It  was 
necessary  to  awaken  Minto,  Chloe,  and  Lois, 
and  tell  them  of  Duane's  presence,  so  that 
some  of  them  might  stand  guard  for  the  rest 
of  the  night,  while  David  or  Desire  held  fur- 
ther talk  with  their  troublesome  visitor.  For 
the  young  man  was  not  a  welcome  comer  at 
this  particular  time. 

The  impression  had  gone  abroad  that 
Duane  Livingstone  was  at  heart  a  Tory, 
although  his  family  continued  stanch  patriots. 
The  feelino^  ao^ainst  Tories  in  Connecticut 
had  grown  strong  since  the  capture  of  Gen- 
eral Silliman   by  a  band   of  men  who  were 


ONE  MYSTERIOUS  PASSENGER  231 

known  to  come  from  this  very  section  of  the 
country.  The  recent  raids  along  the  shore 
had  now  fanned  the  flame  of  hatred  to  a 
sort  of  frenzy.  AYhile  Duane  Livingstone 
was  well  known  and  popular  in  town,  having 
been  treated  with  justice  and  courtesy,  when 
a  guest,  throughout  the  early  years  of  the 
struggle,  yet  now  it  was  the  height  of  folly 
for  him  or  any  other  person  bearing  his  repu- 
tation to  appear  in  these  borders. 

It  was  nothinof  less  than  madness  which 
had  driven  him  to  face  such  a  risk. 

While  they  were  fixing  some  sort  of  a 
hidino;  in  the  middle  of  the  cornfield,  Desire 
led  David  aside,  and  told  him  that  he  must 
carry  a  message  to  Major  Tallmadge. 

"  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  tell  him  that 
Duane  is  here,"  exclaimed  David,  with  terror 
in  his  voice. 

Desire  shuddered,  reaching  forth  a  trem- 
bling hand  to  her  brother. 

"  Hush,  David,  hush  !  How  your  words 
startled  me  !  You  don't  know  what  you  are 
saying." 

"  Why,  of  course  not,"  cried  the  brother 
eagerly,  — "  of  course  not.  What  was  I 
thinking  about?"  There  was  a  note  of  re- 
gret and  deprecation  in  his  voice.  "  What 
an  absurd  question  !  "    . 


232  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  You  must  liand  this  little  packet  to  Major 
Tallmadge  at  once.  Put  it  into  his  hands 
yourself,  and  say  that  a  friend  gave  it  to  you 
for  him." 

David  was  off  on  his  errand  in  a  moment, 
the  packet  being  duly  delivered  without  ques- 
tion on  the  part  of  giver  or  taker  ;  fifteen 
minutes  found  the  messenger  back  again  in 
the  cornfield,  sharing  the  wait  and  the  watch 
with  the  other  members  of  the  family. 

On  this  Friday,  it  seemed  that  every  return- 
ing man,  woman,  and  child  came  to  the  Hardy 
place  in  order  to  condole  with  the  young 
folks,  or  get  their  sympathy,  or  ask  their 
advice,  or  borrow  a  little  food.  It  required 
the  five  of  them  to  hold  people  beyond  the 
pale  of  the  inviting  field.  It  was  one  of  the 
few  pieces  of  grain  or  other  growing  stuff 
near  the  town  that  had  escaped  devastation. 
While  the  ears  of  corn  were  not  ripe  enough 
to  be  good  eating,  yet  one  must  not  be  criti- 
cal when  confronted  by  hunger ;  and  in  case 
this  resource  failed,  they  could  draw  upon  the 
adjoining  patch  of  potatoes. 

A  score  of  times  some  hasty  friend,  taking 
it  for  granted  that  he  was  welcome  to  help 
himself,  plunged  unbidden  and  unobserved 
into   the   field,   and   when    on  the  verge  of 


ONE  MYSTERIOUS  PASSENGER  233 

stumblino-  over  Duane's  sheltered  nook,  was 
discovered,  diverted  by  some  of  the  family, 
and  finally  drawn  away  from  the  place  and 
made  to  stay  in  the  open.  The  stress  and 
anxiety  of  the  hours  was  not  less  severe  than 
on  the  days  of  the  raid  itself.  It  was  only 
the  swift,  subtle  ingenuity  of  the  sisters  which 
enabled  them  to  get  through  Friday  without 
the  tragedy  of  Duane's  capture. 

The  town  was  filled  with  people.  The  citi- 
zens and  their  families  returned,  and  wdth 
them  came  every  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry  of 
the  surrounding  country ;  and  with  Tom,  Dick, 
and  Harry,  womankind  and  children  intent 
on  witnessino*  the  awful  destruction  which  had 
swept  over  the  place  like  a  scourge.  Then 
the  militia  continued  to  gather  in  larger  force, 
and  there  on  the  Green  stood  the  white  tents 
of  Major  Tallmadge's  troops,  the  men  them- 
selves busy  furbishing  up  their  arms,  putting 
things  into  proper  trim,  serving  as  guard 
throuo;hout  the  town,  movino^  hither  and 
thither  with  an  air  of  expectancy  and  deter- 
mination that  suggested  mysterious  events. 

Before  night  settled  down  upon  the  throngs 
of  people,  it  was  whispered  about  that  "  The 
Firebrand"  had  simply  withdrawn  to  Hunt- 
ington to    get    his   men    into    condition   for 


234  AN   UNKNOWN  PATEIOT 

another  foray.  New  Haven  and  Fairfield  had 
served  to  whet  his  appetite.  He  was  now  like 
a  savage  brute  that  had  tasted  blood,  so 
that  every  cruel  instinct  in  him  was  aroused 
and  tigerish.  He  must  gorge  himself  with 
inhumanity,  suffering,  and  desolation.  Some 
thought  that  New  London  must  be  the  next 
point  of  attack,  and  a  messenger  had  been 
sent  to  warn  the  people  of  their  peril.  Others 
believed  that  one  of  the  nearer  towns  was 
destined  to  receive  the  blow. 

Little  sheds  and  huts  began  to  appear  in 
different  parts  of  the  village,  the  citizens 
taking  odds  and  ends  of  boards,  half  charred 
bits  of  timber,  the  branches  of  trees,  sticks, 
and  stones  convenient  to  their  hands,  and 
working  them  into  these  rude  temporary 
shelters.  By  night,  quite  a  large  number  of 
families  had  provided  themselves  with  some 
covering.  Into  these  strange  abodes  they 
brouo^ht  the  little  stuff  that  had  been  saved 
from  the  flames ;  on  the  bare  ground  within 
them,  or  by  their  side,  blankets  were  spread 
and  rough  couches  fixed,  where  they  were 
glad  to  throw  their  weary  bodies  with  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  and  sleep  a  dreamless  or  a 
feverish  sleep,  as  the  case  might  be. 

The  Hardy  family  watched  the  descent  of 


ONE  MYSTERIOUS  PASSENGER  235 

the  sun  with  painful  solicitude.  It  had  been 
the  longest  day  within  memory,  —  a  day  of 
infinite  finesse  and  difficulty. 

''  Thank  God  for  the  on-coming  darkness/' 
cried  Desire,  when  the  shadows  thickened. 
"  We  must  give  him  a  good  supper."  She 
was  talking  with  Chloe. 

With  all  their  keeping  guard  over  the  corn- 
field, they  had  been  able  to  bring  together 
enough  stuff  to  make  a  cabin,  and  into  this 
playhouse  of  a  dwelling  they  had  put  a  part 
of  their  domestic  possessions.  The  kettle 
was  boilinQr-  over  the  fire  at  the  rear  of  the 
cabin,  an  odor  of  fresh  vegetables  and  frying 
chicken  diffusing  itself  upon  the  calm  even- 
ing air. 

"  See  that  the  corncakes  are  kept  hot," 
continued  Desire,  "  and  when  everything  is 
ready,  I  '11  take  them  in  this  pan  over  into 
the  corn." 

It  was  delicious  fare  on  which  Duane  Liv- 
ingstone feasted  that  Friday  night,  July  9th, 
1779.  David,  Lois,  and  Minto  continued 
their  watch,  Chloe  prepared  more  corncake 
and  chicken  in  her  open-air  kitchen,  while 
Desire  carried  her  pan  of  food,  covered  with 
her  homespun  apron,  into  the  thicket,  and 
there,  amid  shadows,  served  the  young  man, 


236  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

with  an  air  of  mixed  cheeriness  and  distress 
that  gave  sweetest  reHsh  to  every  mouthful 
of  food. 

"  You  've  brought  me  a  perfect  banquet/' 
whispered  Duane,  as  he  smelt  the  chicken, 
felt  the  crisp  hoecake,  and  bit  into  the  lus- 
cious, butter-smeared  vegetables.  "  And  what 
are  these  mellow,  fraofrant  little  thinofs  in  the 
bottom  of  the  pan  ?  Desire,  methinks  they 
are  berries."  He  put  one  into  his  mouth  and 
let  the  grateful  juice  season  a  fresh  bite  of 
the  chicken.  "  You  dear  child,  you  're  my 
providence.  Are  the  berries  red  like  your 
lips  ?  "  He  tried  to  look  through  the  gloom 
into  her  face. 

"  Now,  Duane,  we  must  get  you  away  from 
this  place  as  soon  as  your  feast  is  ended.  I 
never  spent  a  more  wretched  day  in  my 
life." 

"  And  I  've  made  you  wretched.  Forgive 
me.  Desire.  There,  that  piece  of  chicken 
didn't  taste  half  as  good  as  the  first." 

He  hesitated  in  his  eating,  and  waited  for 
the  girl  to  continue. 

"  Oh,  do  eat  your  feast  and  get  what  plea- 
sure you  can  out  of  it,  Duane,  and  don't  mind 
any  hard  or  disagreeable  words  I  may  let  fall. 
These  are  hard  times,  and  we  're  not  always 


ONE  MYSTEBIOUS  PASSENGER  237 

responsible  for  what  we  say.  I  want  to  see 
you  safely  landed  on  the  other  side,  cousin, 
and  "  — 

"  Don't  cousin  me,  Desire  Hardy.  If  I  'm 
nothing  more  than  a  cousin  to  you,  the  jig  's 
ended.  I  don't  care  what  becomes  of  me. 
I  '11  go  and  deliver  myself  up  to  your  great 
friend.  Major  Tallmadge.  They  tell  me  he  's 
a  most  dashing  fellow,  quite  the  peer  of 
Aaron  Burr  in  his  good  looks  and  many 
graces." 

"  Duane,  you  must  hush.  Somebody  '11 
hear  us.  It 's  been  almost  impossible  to  keep 
folks  out  of  the  cornfield  by  day,  when  we 
could  see  them,  and  now  it  is  night,  any  num- 
ber of  men  might  steal  in  here  and  surprise 
us,  and  work  their  will  upon  you."  She 
trembled  with  fear  as  she  spoke. 

"  Well,  Desire,  I  '11  go ;  I  'm  sorry  that 
I  've  worried  you.  But  how  could  I  keep 
away  at  this  time  ?  " 

The  first  exhilaration  of  his  feast  had  passed. 
Appetite  was  now  sated,  and  he  must  think 
upon  the  perils  that  beset  him. 

"Everything  has  been  arranged  for  your 
trip  across  the  Sound,"  said  his  companion 
eagerly.  "  But  you  '11  have  to  submit  to  one 
condition  that  will  humble  your  pride,  I  sup- 


238  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

pose.  You  '11  do  it  for  my  sake,  won't  you, 
Duane  ?  " 

There  was  tender  appeal  in  her  voice. 

"  Desire,  I  'd  do  anything  for  your  sake,  — 
anything  reasonable  that  did  not  reflect  upon 
honor,  and  that  you  could  never  ask  of  one. 
What  is  it  ?  " 

She  whispered  the  condition,  and  he  drew 
back  with  repugnance. 

"  Child,  child,  why  do  you  ask  such  a 
thing  ? "  he  said,  with  startling  vehemence. 
"  I  am  ashamed  to  think  of  it.  It  is  humili- 
ating.    I  can't  do  it." 

"  Duane,  there  is  nothing  mean  or  dis- 
graceful about  the  condition  I  propose.  It 
will  enable  us  to  get  you  away  without  trouble. 
You  must  do  as  I  say." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment. 

"  Desire,  kiss  me.  I  '11  accept  the  condi- 
tion." 

There  was  a  playful  seriousness  in  the 
answer,  and  the  compact  was  sealed. 

"  Good-by,"  she  said,  when  their  interview 
came  to  an  end.  "  David  will  bring  the 
things  to  you.  Remember,  you  are  not  to 
speak  a  word  except  in  an  emergency.  No 
conversation  !  The  whaleboat  will  be  at  Pine 
Cre'ek,  and  will  leave  you  at  the  point  men- 


ONE  MYSTERIOUS  PASSENGER  239 

tioned  near  Huntington,  and "  —  Duane 
stood  close  by  her  side  and  held  her  hand 
for  a  moment,  as  she  whispered ;  then,  as  she 
drew  it  away  and  turned  into  the  greater  dark- 
ness, she  continued,  with  a  spice  of  mischief, 
"  It  was  only  a  cousinly  kiss,  you  know,"  and 
disappeared. 

,  It  might  have  been  an  hour  later  that 
Desire  Hardy  and  her  brother  were  seen  pass- 
inof  dow^n  the  main  street  toward  Pine  Creek. 
They  met  various  acquaintances,  but  did  not 
stop  to  do  more  than  answer  some  question 
or  say  a  brief  good-evening.  They  were  evi- 
dently in  considerable  haste,  for  their  inter- 
view with  the  pickets  was  the  quickest  possible. 
By  ten  o'clock,  they  reached  the  short  stretch 
of  beach  on  the  west  side  of  Pine  Creek.  The 
lady  stayed  within  the  shelter  of  the  trees, 
while  the  gentleman  picked  a  careful  way 
to  the  edge  of  the  water,  softly  imitating 
the  notes  of  a  whippoorwill.  In  response,  a 
dusky  craft  pushed  along  to  the  spot.  Then 
the  gentleman  returned  to  the  bit  of  wood ; 
there  was  a  delay  of  two  or  three  minutes  ; 
the  man  appeared  a  second  time,  wrapped  in  a 
long  military  cape,  and,  springing  into  the 
boat,  he  was  off  to  sea. 

Immediately,  Desire  returned  to  the  village. 


240  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

although,  had  a  close  observer  been  on  the 
watch,  he  might  have  imagined  that  the 
Desire  Hardy  who  came  back  seemed  perhaps 
an  inch  shorter  than  the  one  who  had  left 
the  homestead  earlier  in  the  evening. 

"  Now  we  must  pray  all  night  that  there  be 
no  mishaps  on  the  water,  and  that  our  cousin 
gets  safely  to  the  house  of  Judge  Jones  in 
good  time  to-morrow." 

The  Hardy  family  spent  another  restless 
ten  hours  waiting  for  the  coming  of  the 
whaleboat  with  the  word  that  the  mysterious 
passenger  had  been  left  without  adventure  or 
accident  on  the  Long  Island  shore. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A    WRESTLING    IVIATCH    IN    THE    WOODS 

Major  Tallmadge  had  received  secret  in- 
telligence that  Tryon  was  to  make  Norwalk 
the  next  objective  point  in  his  destruction  of 
the  shore  towns,  so  that  the  company  of  light 
infantry  and  a  great  portion  of  the  state 
militia  marched  from  Fairfield  to  the  relief  of 
the  imperiled  neighbor.  Billy  the  Butcher 
crossed  over  to  the  fair  village  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  the  11th.  It  had  been  expected 
that  a  company  of  loyalists  would  rally  to 
their  support  and  join  with  the  redcoats  in 
their  devastations.  There  were  numerous 
Tories  holding  constant  communication  with 
the  enemies  of  their  country,  serving  the  Brit- 
ish marauders  faithfully  in  this  petty,  malig- 
nant harassment  of  the  patriots. 

It  was  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening 
when  the  enemy  landed,  and  they  lay  upon 
their  arms  all  night.  In  the  morning,  they 
made  their  way  into  the  town,  although  Cap- 
tain Betts  and  his  company  of  Continentals 


242  AN  UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

tried  to  check  their  advance.  The  militia  was 
gathering,  and  Major  Talhnadge  was  on  the 
march^  so  that  Tryon  dared  not  delay  his 
work.  No  sooner  had  his  minions  entered  the 
village  than  the  torch  was  applied.  This  was 
not  warfare  :  it  was  vandalism  and  wanton 
cruelty  to  the  defenseless.  But  Tryon  took 
his  place  on  Grumman's  Hill,  overlooking  the 
town,  and  there,  seated  comfortably  in  his 
chair,  surveyed  the  hideous  work. 

Nearly  everybody  fled  from  the  village,  for 
people  had  learned  that  "  The  Firebrand " 
did  not  spare  even  women  and  children  from 
insult  and  terror.  As  the  troops  of  Major 
Tallmadge  and  the  state  miHtia  were  delayed, 
the  setting  fire  to  the  buildings  and  shipping 
was  not  a  long  task.  The  first  blaze  ap- 
peared about  daylight,  and  by  the  middle  of 
the  forenoon  the  conflagration  was  in  full 
blast. 

"I'd  like  to  burn  the  house  of  every  traitor 
in  the  land,  and  teach  them  that  the  penalty 
of  rebellion  is  no  light  matter." 

Tryon  addressed  his  refugee  friend  Sher- 
wood Spalding,  who  was  standing  by  his 
side. 

"  But  there  are  many  brave  and  loyal  men 
who  suffer  with    these    people,  your   Excel- 


A   WRESTLING  MATCH  IN  THE  WOODS     243 

lency.     And    the    homes   of  the   Tories    are 
dear  to  them." 

"  I  know  it.  They  are  involved  in  this 
common  disaster,  and  I  am  sorry  for  it,  but 
there  is  no  help  that  I  can  suggest.  Spalding, 
what  do  you  think  of  Livingstone  ?  You 
have  met  him,  have  you  not,  at  the  house  of 
Judge  Jones  ?  " 

"  I  think,  sir,"  and  Spalding's  eyes  flamed 
with  resentment  and  hatred,  "  that  he  is  a 
dano^erous  man  to  have  within  the  lines.  His 
family  are  rank  rebels.  He  may  think  that  he 
can  do  business,  amass  a  fortune,  and  keep  on 
the  fence  all  through  the  fight,  but  I  doubt 
it.  I  believe  that  fellow  ought  to  be  watched. 
In  fact,  your  Excellency,  I  've  done  a  little 
watching  of  him  myself  ;  his  movements  are 
suspicious." 

General  Tryon  was  a  man  of  quick  insight 
and  varied  experience.  The  very  intensity 
of  feeling  shown  by  Spalding  suggested  to 
his  listener  that  some  personal  grudge  was 
involved,  so  that  the  young  man's  testimony 
defeated  the  purpose  which  he  had  in  view. 

Spalding  wished  to  get  rid  of  Duane  Liv- 
ingstone. He  would  have  been  glad  to  see 
him  in  prison,  or  to  hear  of  his  sudden  dis- 
appearance through   the    exigencies   of  war. 


244  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

But  General  Tryon  bad  a  liking  for  him ; 
and  while  he  was  angry  because  Duane  did 
not  come  out  like  a  man  on  the  side  of  the 
king  and  identify  himself  whole-heartedly 
with  the  royal  interests,  yet  be  continued  to 
look  upon  him  with  favor,  and  secretly  to 
regard  him  with  real  affection.  He  had 
known  him  as  child,  youth,  man  ;  through 
all  these  years,  the  happy  flow  of  good  spirits, 
the  gay,  bright  wit,  and  the  frank,  lovable 
nature  of  the  young  gentleman  had  been  to 
General  Tryon  a  source  of  real  delight. 

On  two  or  three  occasions,  he  had  become 
suspicious  that  Duane  sympathized  with  the 
rebels.  But  that  was  natural,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. His  family  were  ardent  friends 
of  the  Continental  leaders,  several  of  them 
fighting  in  the  ranks  of  the  provincials;  but 
Tryon  had  an  idea  that,  w^hile  Duane  was 
a  man  of  courage  and  spirit,  he  did  not  screw 
himself  up  to  the  point  where  he  would  fight 
ao^ainst  his  own  kith  and  kin.  Meanwhile, 
there  was  no  doubt  that  the  young  fellow  had 
a  natural  aptitude  for  trade,  and  was  making 
money  with  the  keenest  sort  of  enjoyment. 

"  Why,  Spalding,  you  speak  as  if  you  har- 
bored some  personal  rancor.  Is  there  a  lady 
in  the  case  ?  "  The  or-overnor  scrutinized  his 
companion  with  sharp  eyes. 


A    WRESTLING  MATCH  IN   THE   WOODS     245 

"  Well,  sir/'  answered  Spalding,  blushing 
under  the  keen  observation  of  the  questioner, 
"  he  has  a  cousin  in  Fairfield  whom  he  vexes 
with  his  attentions.  She  looks  near  enoup^h 
like  him  to  be  his  twin  sister,  but  who  wants 
to  marry  a  second  self  ?  I  think  he  affects 
a  regard  for  her  simply  to  annoy  other  men, 
and  hold  them  at  a  distance  and  torture  them, 
if  possible." 

"  At  least,  that  is  the  way  the  thing  stands 
in  your  case,"  said  the  general  maliciously, 
as  he  took  his  eves  off  the  young^  man's  face 
and  swept  with  his  glance  the  fascinating 
scene  stretchino;  beneath  him. 

The  conversation  was  interrupted  at  this 
point  by  the  approach  of  an  aid,  who  in- 
formed Governor  Try  on  that  the  militia  and 
a  small  company  of  Continentals  from  Fair- 
field were  drawino-  nio^h.  So  the  commanding; 
officer  thouof-ht  it  best  to  bestir  himself  and 
finish  the  work. 

He  had  been  playing  Nero  in  a  petty,  fool- 
ish way,  although  the  parallelism  fell  short 
of  the  fiddlers  and  a  few  other  notable  ac- 
companiments. But  Tryon  took  a  peculiar 
deliofht  in  the  service  which  he  was  now 
renderinof  the  kino^.  He  had  these  stiff- 
necked,  crafty  Yankees  on  the  hip,  and  he 


246  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

was  doing  with  them  much  as  he  pleased. 
How  he  reveled  in  their  distress  and  anger  ! 
how  he  gloated  over  their  losses  and  suffer- 
ings !  how  he  cursed  them  for  their  meanness 
and  obduracy,  their  swaggering  independence 
and  ingenious  opposition  ! 

"  Did  n't  I  say  that  I  'd  make  the  damned 
rebels  squirm  ?  " 

This  was  the  remark  which  sounded  in 
Spalding's  ears,  as  the  general  left  his  \dew 
point  on  Grumman's  Hill  and  sent  word  for 
his  men  to  return  to  their  boats. 

It  was  while  Norwalk  was  burning,  the 
royal  troops  getting  ready  to  embark,  and  the 
patriots  encircling  the  foe,  that  David  Hardy 
ran  across  Sherwood  Sjialding.  The  two 
young  men  stood  face  to  face.  David's  first 
impulse  was  to  shoot  the  refugee  ;  then  he 
held  back,  remembering  old  times  and  former 
ties.  They  had  played  together  since  child- 
hood, attending  the  same  school,  rowing  in 
the  same  boat,  swimming  through  the  same 
surf,  fishing  in  the  same  brook,  —  good  friends 
until  the  war  divided  them.  No,  David  could 
not  shoot  him. 

Spalding  was  equally  embarrassed.  He  had 
always  loved  David ;  he  loved  David's  sister 
even  better.      You  might  as  well  ask  a  son 


A   WRESTLING  MATCH  IN  THE  WOODS     247 

to  shoot  his  mother.  So  they  stared  at  each 
other  for  a  moment  in  the  greatest  dismay. 

^^  Sherwood,  I  never  thought  to  see  you 
taking  part  in  such  a  cruel  thing  as  this  ! " 
exclaimed  David.  "  You  're  a  traitor  to  your 
native  land,  and  I  —  I  —  ought  to  shoot 
you  !  "  he  continued,  with  hesitation. 

"  David,  I  Ve  given  you  two  or  three  warn- 
ings," replied  Spalding.  ''  The  king  is  sure 
to  win.  I  suppose  I  ought  to  make  you  a 
prisoner  now,  and  drag  you  down  to  the  fleet, 
and  hand  you  over  to  General  Try  on,  but  I 
hate  to  do  it."  He  shifted  from  one  foot  to 
the  other  and  leaned  upon  his  musket.  "I'm 
sorry  you  've  lost  your  home,  and  that  it  is 
necessary  to  chastise  you  rebels  in  this  rough 
way ;  but,  David,  keep  out  of  mischief,  and 
don't  run  over  to  Long  Island  any  more, 
unless  you  come  to  join  the  royal  cause  and 
cast  in  your  lot  with  us." 

Spalding  was  talking  rapidly.  It  was  ne- 
cessary for  him  to  run  for  the  fleet.  If  he 
was  left  on  the  Connecticut  shore,  the  chances 
were  that  life  would  be  of  short  or  uncertain 
tenure. 

"  Spalding,"  said  David  hurriedly,  but  with 
conviction,  "  I  must  take  you  prisoner."  He 
made  a  sudden  spring  for  him. 


248  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  By  Jove,  David,"  cried  Sherwood,  "  if 
there  's  any  prisoner  to  be  taken,  I  '11  take 
you  with  me  down  to  the  boats." 

Suiting  action  to  their  words,  the  young 
men  clinched  with  each  other,  wrestled  vigor- 
ously, and  rolled  over  upon  the  ground  down 
into  the  underbrush,  tearing  their  clothes, 
scratching  their  faces,  scattering  their  arms 
and  ammunition,  continuing  their  set-to  for 
several  minutes. 

David  had  the  easier  task.  It  was  simply 
necessary  for  him  to  hold  Spalding  under 
some  restraint  until  help  came  or  the  fleet 
sailed  away,  and  the  young  refugee  was  his 
assured  prisoner.  In  order  to  secure  David, 
however,  Spalding  must  drag  him  near 
enough  to  the  shore  to  make  some  of  the 
redcoats  answer  a  call  for  help.  He  soon 
discovered  that  this  was  a  thing  impossible 
for  him  to  do.  So  when,  in  the  scuffle,  Da- 
vid's hold  upon  him  was  slightly  relaxed,  he 
made  a  sudden  dash  for  Hberty,  and,  having 
shaken  himself  loose  from  his  adversary,  took 
to  his  heels  with  all  the  speed  of  an  Indian 
runner,  leaving  musket  and  furnishings,  with 
more  or  less  of  his  uniform,  behind  him. 

"  Well,  perhaps  it 's  as  well  that  he  es- 
caped," soliloquized  David,  as  he  rose  from 


A    WRESTLING  MATCH  IN   THE   WOODS      249 

the  ground,  gathered  up  his  arms  and  am- 
munition, and  took  possession  of  his  foe's 
belono'ino^s.  ^^It  would  have  been  an  un- 
pleasant  business  to  hand  him  over  to  the 
authorities.  Perhaps  Desire  likes  him,  and 
would  have  felt  sorry.  I  don't  wish  to  be 
mean,  even  to  a  refugee  like  Sherwood." 

Coming  out  from  the  woods  on  top  of  a 
hill,  David  saw  the  enemy  in  retreat.  The 
thick  clouds  of  smoke  that  hovered  above  the 
town  concealed  the  extent  of  the  conflao^ra- 
tion,  but  there  were  only  a  few  buildings  that 
escaped  destruction.  The  losses  were  almost 
as  large  as  they  had  been  in  Fairfield ;  the 
insult,  cruelty,  and  wickedness  fully  equal. 
Flames  leaped  through  the  blackness  occa- 
sionally, seeming  to  David  like  red  tongues 
reaching  into  space  that  they  might  torture 
the  air  itself.  The  roar  and  din  beneath 
reminded  him  of  Milton's  pictures  of  the  in- 
fernal regions.  This  was  making  hell  on 
earth,  and  what  other  terms  better  describe 
the  hideous  riot  and  agony  of  warfare  ? 

The  patriots  gave  the  invaders  not  a  little 
annoyance,  although  the  skirmishing  did  not 
rise  to  the  dignity  of  a  drawn  battle.  Gen- 
eral Parsons  arrived  with  his  Continentals,  so 
that  a  force  of  a  thousand  men  hung  upon 


250  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  skirts  o£  the  enemy.  More  than  twenty 
British  soldiers  were  killed,  more  than  a  hun- 
dred wounded. 

But  the  fight  was  soon  over,  and  David 
returned  home.  Drawing  near  the  familiar 
place  of  Mr.  Ripley,  at  Green  Farms,  he 
found  the  minister's  house  gone,  his  sanc- 
tuary a  heap  of  ruins,  and  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood desolated.  Entering  again  into  the 
streets  of  Fairfield,  he  was  met  by  eager 
questioners,  anxious  to  know  the  fate  of 
friends,  or  to  inquire  about  the  latest  deeds 
of  "  Billy  the  Butcher." 

"  Desire,"  said  he,  sitting  down  beside  the 
door  of  their  cabin,  wiping  the  sweat  and 
dust  from  his  grimy  face,  "it  is  sickening. 
God  never  intended  that  I  should  be  a  sol- 
dier.    I  've  not  the  stomach  for  it." 

Then  he  told  the  story  of  Norwalk,  ending 
with  the  meeting  of  Spalding  and  his  escape. 
The  tears  streamed  down  the  faces  of  his 
listeners  as  they  heard  his  narrative.  When 
would  the  wild  work  end? 

"  I  suppose  it  is  Stamford  next,"  said 
David,  "  although  the  enemy  were  afraid  of 
us,  and  hastened  to  their  boats  when  we  gath- 
ered in  force." 

"  Sherwood    Spalding    tried   to   take   you 


A    WBESTLING  MATCH  IN   THE  WOODS     251 

prisoner,  did  he,  or  make  a  turncoat  and  a 
redcoat  o£  you  ?  "  It  was  Lois  speaking  in 
the  midst  of  her  tears.  "  I  'd  like  to  tell  him 
what  I  thought  about  it,"  she  continued. 
"  He  would  n't  dare  to  talk  to  me  that  way 
many  minutes." 

"  Well,  he  did  n't  have  a  great  while  to 
talk  with  me,"  replied  David,  smihng,  as  he 
called  to  mind  the  scene  when  they  grappled 
with  each  other  and  rolled  over  and  over 
upon  the  ground. 

"  The  wretches !  Did  you  hear  what 
^  Billy  the  Butcher '  said  to  poor  Mrs.  Beers, 
with  her  babe  in  arms  ?  '  You  've  got  a 
pretty  child  ;  is  it  yours  ? ' 

"  '  Yes,'  she  said. 

" '  Are  you  willing  it  should  be  cut  up 
and  made  a  pie  of  ?  They  say  the  Congress 
eat  such  pies,  and  they  are  very  good.'  And 
Mrs.  Beers  ran  away  from  him  with  all  her 
mio-ht.  The  brute  !  How  I  wish  we  had 
him  here  in  this  cabin  !  " 

"  Why,  child,"  said  David  wearily,  "  what 
would  you  do  with  the  man  ?  " 

"  I  'd  do  as  Jael  did  with  Sisera.  I  'd  drive 
a  peg  through  his  forehead  and  nail  him  to 
the  ground."  Lois  looked  it,  so  savage  and 
vindictive  was  her  aspect. 


252  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

"  You  ought  to  have  heard  what  the  hell- 
hounds (that 's  what  Burr  calls  them)  said 
when  they  set  the  meeting-house  on  fire ! 
The  sacrilegious  wretches." 

"  What  was  it  ?  "  asked  Lois. 

" '  Now,  God  Almighty,  come  and  defend 
your  own  house,'  they  shouted ;  then  a  dozen 
of  them  applied  the  torch,  and  danced  about 
the  sanctuary  like  a  band  of  savages. 

"  I  used  to  think  that  the  Cherokees  of 
North  Carolina  gave  Try  on  the  very  name 
that  suited  him,"  observed  Desire.  "^The 
Great  Wolf  '  is  wonderfully  expressive.  And 
I  thought  the  Sons  of  Liberty  hit  the  nail 
on  the  head  when  they  dubbed  him  '  Billy 
the  Butcher.'  But  we  folks  in  Connecticut 
must  hold  to  the  name  that  comports  mth 
his  character  as  we  see  it.  Don't  you  think 
'  The  Firebrand  '  is  best  of  all,  David  ?  " 

"  The  very  name  !  The  very  name  !  " 
shouted  Lois.  "Wolf!  Butcher!  Firebrand!" 

"  Why,  Desire,  we  Yankees  are  ingenious. 
Yes,  that 's  a  happy  title." 

David  smiled  at  the  conceit.  But  he  was 
too  tired  and  worried  to  enter  into  the  humor 
of  the  girls'  bright  sayings. 

The  prospects  before  them  were  poor. 
There  was  nothing  but  a  mean,  rude  hut  for 


A    WRESTLING  MATCH  IN  THE  WOODS     253 

shelter ;  their  food  supply  was  running  low,  a 
good  portion  of  their  crops  ruined ;  David's 
hands  were  tied  so  that  he  could  not  ven- 
ture into  the  world  and  try  to  earn  a  living 
for  the  family ;  Connecticut  was  now  hard 
pressed,  and  many  people  had  grown  dis- 
heartened ;  the  currency  had  depreciated  to 
such  an  extent  that  it  was  not  worth  much 
more  than  the  paper  on  which  its  good 
promises  were  printed ;  and  the  Tories  were 
harassing  the  patriots  by  day  and  by  night, 
gloating  over  the  turn  of  events,  and  pro- 
phesying direst  things  to  incorrigible  rebels. 

Only  a  few  days  previous  to  the  recent 
descent  of  Tryon  on  the  coast,  a  county  con- 
vention had  been  held  in  Fairfield  to  discuss 
the  currency  question  ;  while  on  July  1st,  the 
town  had  appointed  John  Morehouse,  Jr., 
and  Nathaniel  Seeley  to  provide  clothing  for 
the  town  soldiers  in  the  Continental  service, 
—  to  such  straits  had  the  men  been  reduced 
by  war. 

The  selectmen  had  been  requested  to  order 
ten  men  in  addition  to  the  former  guards  to 
look  after  the  protection  of  the  town.  Thad- 
deus  Burr,  Jonathan  Sturges,  and  Samuel 
Squire  were  chosen  a  committee  to  see  the 
governor    and   the    Council    of    Safety,    and 


254  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

request  that  some  vessel  or  vessels  of  force 
guard  the  coast  against  the  further  designs 
of  the  enemy  during  the  summer  season. 

These  were  days  of  deep  gloom.  Governor 
Trumbull  still  braved  the  trials  of  his  posi- 
tion, infusing  his  own  spirit  of  hopefulness 
and  confidence  into  wavering  hearts.  Gen- 
eral Washington  felt  the  need  of  diverting 
the  enemy  from  further  depredations  upon 
the  unprotected  coast  of  Connecticut. 

It  was  like  the  sun  breaking  through  some 
rift  in  the  clouds  and  lighting  up  once  more 
the  storm-bound  landscape  when  news  came 
that,  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  "Mad" 
Anthony  Wayne  had  assaulted  Stony  Point, 
killing  fifty  of  the  garrison,  and  taking  pris- 
oner almost  ten  times  as  many.  General 
Tryon  had  remained  at  Huntington,  prepar- 
ing for  another  move  alongshore,  and  the 
burning  of  other  helpless  towns ;  but  the 
lively  work  of  Wayne,  and  intimations  of 
similar  attacks  in  the  neighborhood  of  New 
York,  forced  him  to  a  speedy  return,  so  that 
Connecticut  was  given  a  respite  from  The 
Great  Wolf  Billy  the  Butcher  Firebrand 
Tryon. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE    WHALEBOAT    PARTY 

The  first  weeks  which  followed  the  burning 
of  Fairfield  were  filled  with  ceaseless  activity. 
The  guard  was  now  increased  to  fifty  men 
in  the  Prime  Ancient  Society,  twenty-five 
at  Green's  Farms,  and  fifteen  at  Strathfield, 
although  there  was  little  probability  that  the 
foe  would  make  a  second  raid  on  the  town 
during  the  present  summer.  People  set  to 
work  with  all  the  energy  at  their  command 
to  make  themselves  temporary  shelters,  shops, 
stores,  and  barns.  Religious  services  were 
held  at  private  houses.  The  few  days  when 
citizens  were  able  to  think  of  little  else  than 
the  stern  necessities  of  life  soon  passed,  and 
the  sufferers  recovered  from  their  stunned 
and  strickened  state. 

On  the  20th  of  July,  they  held  a  special 
town  meeting,  when  it  was  voted  "  that  J. 
Lewis,  Thaddeus  Burr,  George  Burr,  Samuel 
Wakeman,  Jonathan  Sturges  (e^  al.)  be  a  com- 
mittee  to   put   about    subscriptions  to  raise 


256  yiN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

money  as  a  reward  for  any  person  or  persons 
that  shall  captivate  and  take  prisoner  General 
William  Tryon,  who  commanded  the  British 
troops  when  they  burnt  the  town,  and  that 
said  committee  issue  a  proclamation  offering 
such  reward  as  shall  be  subscribed  for  that 
purpose."  Then  it  was  voted  that  Mr.  Andrew 
Rowland,  Jonathan  Sturges,  and  Thaddeus 
Burr  draw  up  a  narrative  of  the  proceedings 
of  Governor  Tryon  in  the  destruction  of  the 
town,  and  also  point  out  his  treatment  of 
the  inhabitants  that  tarried  in  the  town,  and 
the  instances  where  he  violated  his  own  pro- 
clamation. 

This  proclamation  which  Tryon  scattered 
in  his  visits  to  the  shore  towns  excited  the 
ridicule  of  its  citizens. 

"  Talk  about  '  frenzy,'  "  exclaimed  David, 
"  why,  it  is  simply  our  enthusiasm  for  Hb- 
erty. 

"  Yes,  and  see  what  he  says  about  our  be- 
ing a  monument  of  his  mercy  !  It 's  a  good 
deal  more  like  beino^  a  monument  to  his  bar- 
barity,  I  think,"  cried  Desire.  "  Was  n't  it  a 
grand  reply  which  Colonel  Whiting  sent  to 
old  '  Great  Wolf  Billy  the  Butcher  Firebrand 
Tryon  '  ?  "  interrupted  Lois  excitedly. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Desire;  "and  Major  Tall- 


THE   WHALEBOAT  PARTY  257 

mado^e  has  written  us  what  General  Washinof- 
ton  said :  *  It  is  truly  ridiculous,  and  must 
tend  to  incense  rather  than  intimidate/  he 
said.  But  the  general  admired  Colonel  Whit- 
ing's reply:  ^It  is  laconic,  but  to  the  pur- 
pose/    I  like  to  repeat  it." 

And  then  she  took  the  words,  of  the  mes- 
sage, which  had  been  memorized  by  many  of 
the  patriots,  and  said  them  over  for  the  hun- 
dredth time  :  "  ^  Sir,  Connecticut  having  nobly 
dared  to  oppose  the  usurpations  of  an  unjust 
and  oppressive  nation  (as  flames  have  pre- 
ceded the  answer  to  your  flag),  we  hope  they 
will  still  continue,  as  far  as  in  their  power,  to 
protect  persecuted  and  oppressed  innocence.'  " 

On  Friday,  the  30th,  Parson  Eliot  met  his 
people  on  the  Green  in  front  of  the  ruined 
sanctuary,  and  conducted  a  preparatory  lec- 
ture. It  was  a  pathetic  scene.  The  listeners 
seated  themselves  on  the  down-trodden  turf 
in  a  compact  body,  hearing  his  words  with 
eager  ears  and  loving  hearts,  for  he  was  com- 
forting them  in  their  affliction  and  thrilling 
them  with  his  appeals.  "Not  a  house  for  my 
shelter,"  said  he  in  the  address,  "  two  thirds 
of  my  personal  estate  plundered  and  con- 
sumed, a  wife  and  three  small  children  depend- 
ent on  me  for  their  maintenance.      .  .  I  feel 


258  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

myself  in  a  state  of  uncertainty  as  to  many 
of  the  necessities  of  life."  Their  eyes  were 
filled  with  tears,  for  his  poverty  and  losses 
were  simply  like  to  their  own.  Yet  he  loyally, 
trustingly  continued,  "  I  am  ready  to  undergo 
any  difficulties  in  the  work  of  the  ministry 
for  your  sakes."  The  elms  did  not  even  yield 
them  a  shade  on  that  sorrowful  occasion,  for 
the  leaves  were  sere  and  crisp  with  the  blight 
of  fire.  Nevertheless,  they  were  glad  to  meet 
in  peace  even  amid  scarred  trees,  scorched 
grass,  and  fitful  ash-heaps.  And  when  on 
Sunday  morning,  August  the  1st,  the  people 
gathered  at  the  house  of  Justin  Hobart,  one 
of  the  four  in  the  centre  of  the  town  which 
weathered  the  fire-storm,  their  hearts  w^ent 
forth  in  gratitude.  Pastor  Eliot  had  recov- 
ered from  the  illness  induced  by  the  worry 
and  strain  of  the  conflagration,  friends  had 
rallied  to  their  help  and  sent  them  needed 
supplies,  prophets  of  light  and  hope  spake 
often  to  them  concerning  victory  and  inde- 
pendence. 

On  August  the  31st,  the  citizens  voted  to 
build  a  new  town  house  on  the  same  spot 
of  ground  where  the  late  schoolhouse  had 
stood  near  the  old  structure.  This  was  one 
of  the  early  manifestations  of  public  spirit,  — 


THE  WHALEBOAT  PARTY  259 

an  assuring  forerunner  of  later  and  larger 
work. 

All  through  the  war,  the  Sound  had  been 
filled  with  British  and  American  craft  prey- 
ing upon  each  other  and  the  shore  people,  so 
that  the  unwary  farmer  or  tradesman  was 
never  safe. 

Connecticut  privateersmen  busied  them- 
selves in  these  skirmishes.  Still,  the  annoy- 
ance visited  upon  the  patriots  by  Tory  raiders 
did  not  lessen.  So  on  the  5th  of  September, 
Major  Tallmadge  (who  had  been  honored 
with  a  separate  command)  undertook  an  expe- 
dition against  the  enemy  at  Lloyd's  Neck, 
where  there  was  a  strong  fortified  post  and 
five  hundred  troops.  The  patriots  embarked 
from  Shippan  Point,  near  Stamford,  in  the 
evening,  landing  on  the  Long  Island  shore 
about  ten.  The  attack  was  sudden  and  un- 
expected, nearly  the  whole  party  of  refugee 
marauders  and  freebooters  encamped  behind 
the  fort  being  captured,  their  boats  destroyed, 
and  huts  razed  to  the  ground,  Major  Tall- 
madge returning  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

"  It  was  a  real  '  Sword  of  the  Lord  and 
Gideon '  adventure,"  said  David  to  the  young 
hero. 

They  were  taking  counsel  together  within 


260  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  Hardy  cabin ;  for  the  brilliant  favorite  of 
Washington  had  hastened  over  to  Fairfield  to 
look  after  some  further  details  of  the  Secret 
Service. 

"  Thank  you  for  a  good  opinion  of  the 
enterprise/'  was  Major  Tallmadge's  reply. 
"  There  's  another  task  that  might  be  done 
on  Long  Island,  which  I  think  would  result 
to  our  advantage." 

"  You  pique  our  curiosity,  sir/'  exclaimed 
Desire. 

"  We  need  General  Silliman.  He  is  a  vigi- 
lant, conscientious  officer,  familiar  with  this 
coast,  and  held  in  great  esteem  by  the  people. 
But  we  have  no  man  of  equal  position  and 
importance  to  offer  the  British  in  exchange." 

There  was  that  suggested  by  the  manner 
of  Major  Tallmadge  which  proved  quite  as 
siofnificant  as  words.  David  did  not  see  the 
drift  of  his  thought,  but  Desire,  gifted  with 
all  the  fine  intuitions  of  a  woman,  was  quick 
to  respond. 

"  I  hear,"  she  observed,  "  that  Judge  Jones 
keeps  open  house  at  '  Tryon  Hall.'  " 

"  I  believe  you  are  well  informed  upon  that 
point,"  said  Major  Tallmadge,  as  he  lifted  his 
eyebrows  and  shot  a  look  of  keen  intelligence 
into  the  face  of  the  charming  woman  by  his 
side. 


THE  WHALEBOAT  PARTY  261 

Days  passed,  with  all  the  pressure  of  harvest 
and  the  vexations  of  petty  depredation  along 
the  coast.  Every  night  there  were  boats  of 
all  sorts  shoving  off  from  Black  Rock,  New- 
field,  Stratford,  Pine  Creek,  Corapo,  ShijDpan 
Point,  and  a  score  of  other  places,  which 
made  for  the  Long  Island  shore ;  sometimes, 
they  met  a  Tory  foe  in  the  middle  of  the 
Sound  and  had  a  water  fight,  and  again  they 
came  to  blows  on  land.  Often,  they  fell  upon 
the  marauders  or  their  allies  when  the  com- 
ing was  swift  and  unexpected,  so  that  the 
work  was  done  in  briefest  time,  and  the  pa- 
triots sailed  away  on  the  sea  before  any  alarm 
had  sounded. 

It  was  therefore  not  an  extraordinary  event 
when  Captain  Hawley  and  his  chosen  band  of 
helpers,  one  night  in  November,  crossed  over 
from  Newfield  harbor  to  Stony  Brook,  disap- 
pearing in  the  darkness  of  the  woods. 

"  We  marched  the  rest  of  the  night,  and 
then  lay  hid  in  the  bushes  through  the  day," 
said  David,  in  telling  his  story  to  Desire  and 
Lois.  "  It  was  Saturday  evening  when  we 
reached  Jones's  place,  and* I  was  so  surprised 
to  see  his  elegant  and  commodious  mansion. 
Duane  has  never  told  us  that  the  judge 
lives  in  such  handsome  style  and  entertains 


262  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

with  such  lavish  hospitality.  Why,  the  win- 
dows were  all  ablaze  with  light,  and  there 
were  as  many  as  fifteen  or  twenty  of  them  in 
the  front,  I  should  think.  He  calls  the  place 
'  Tryon  Hall/  you  know,  because  he  is  a  great 
friend  of  the  governor's  ;  and  it  was  at  Tryon's 
house  in  New  York  that  Duane  met  Judge 
Jones  and  his  family  so  many  times,  and 
began  his  friendship  with  the  justice.  Well, 
when  we  arrived,  it  was  evident  that  some- 
thing out  of  the  ordinary  kind  was  going  on. 
We  heard  music,  and  then  the  patter  of  many 
feet,  and  the  noise  of  many  voices." 

"  ^  Boys,  it 's  a  party  we  've  come  to ! '  whis- 
pered Captain  Hawley.  '  I  hope  you  're  all 
dressed  for  the  occasion.' 

" '  Yes,  yes,'  answered  back  the  men,  in 
stealthy,  sepulchral  tones.  '  We  're  in  full 
dress.' 

"  Then  we  surrounded  the  house,  and  some 
of  the  men  climbed  in  at  the  upper  windows 
and  helped  themselves  to  what  stuff  they 
could  lay  their  hands  on,  and  others  went  in 
by  the  back  way  and  told  the  servants  to 
keep  still  and  they  would  n't  get  hurt,  while 
some  of  us  knocked  at  the  front  door  and 
invited  Judge  Jones  to  accompany  us  on  our 
return  to  Fairfield.     He  did  n't  seem  to  hke 


< 


THE  WHALEBOAT  PARTY  263 

it,  and  there  was  considerable  excitement  in 
the  house.  I  wish  some  o£  our  men  had  n't 
been  so  greedy,  but  they  told  Captain  Haw- 
ley,  after  they  crossed,  that  they  would  n't 
budge  an  inch,  or  do  a  thing  to  help,  unless 
he  gave  them  the  privilege  of  taking  any  little 
keepsakes  they  might  have  a  fancy  for,  and 
so  they  helped  themselves  to  whatever  they 
liked,  while  Judge  Jones  was  preparing  for 
his  march.  And  who  do  you  think  was  there 
at  the  house?  Why,  if  you  will  believe 
it,  Duane  Livingstone  and  Sherwood  Spal- 
ding. Captain  Hawley  saw  them.  Sherwood 
disappeared.  I  suppose  he  's  in  mortal  terror 
of  his  life,  for  he  knows  how  people  feel  about 
him  here  in  Fairfield.  But  Duane  faced  the 
company,  and  was  left  undisturbed.  I  felt 
real  sorry  for  Judge  Jones.  He  seems  like 
a  fine,  courtly  gentleman,  except  that  his 
Toryism  is  rampant.  After  we  started  on 
our  tramp  over  the  island,  Duane  joined  me. 
He  had  managed  to  say,  in  the  confusion, 
that  I  must  lag  behind  and  give  him  a  chance. 
So  he  told  me  what  little  news  there  was,  how 
hard  he  finds  it  now  to  get  back  and  forth 
between  city  and  country,  and  then  he  gave 
me  a  letter  for  you.     Here  it  is." 

The   speaker   handed  a  small,  well-folded 


264  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

packet  to  his  sister,  who  received  it  with  an 
assumed  matter  of  fact  air. 

"  I  think  Duane  looks  worn  and  troubled. 
He  did  n't  seem  natural  and  happy,  as  he 
usually  does.  I  wish  he  'd  get  off  the  fence 
and  throw  in  his  fortunes  with  the  patriot 
army.  That 's  the  one  thing  that  puzzles 
me  about  him.  I  used  to  think  he  was  the 
bravest,  frankest  kind  of  a  fellow.  And  I 
can't  help  beHeving  it  now.  But  how  shall 
I  reconcile  his  course  with  any  standard  of 
true  manliness  ?  "  David  spoke  with  genuine 
sorrow. 

"  Never  mind  about  Duane,"  said  Desire 
hurriedly.     "  Tell  me  how  you  reached  home." 

"  Well,  we  traveled  over  little  hills,  through 
morasses,  and  by  rough  fields  in  the  thickest 
forests.  We  hastened  with  all  our  might, 
for  there  are  troops  encamped  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fort  Neck,  and  we  expected  an 
alarm  would  be  given  and  pursuit  made. 
When  it  grew  light,  w^e  were  compelled  to 
conceal  ourselves  and  wait  anxiously  for  the 
next  night.  Then  we  pressed  on  again,  hav- 
ing only  stale  biscuit  and  poor  cheese  to  eat, 
rending  our  clothes  among  the  briers,  cutting 
into  the  flesh,  as  you  see  "  (David  pointed  to 
the  interlaced  red  lines   that  disfigured  his 


THE  WHALEBOAT  PARTY  265 

countenance  well-nigli  beyond  recognition), 
"  losing  our  hats  and  some  of  the  spoil  that 
the  men  had  taken  with  them,  reaching  the 
shore  after  an  awful  night  of  toil  and  anx- 
iety. But  we  had  no  serious  annoyances 
from  the  enemy.  Two  or  three  times  we  ran 
against  stray  Tories,  and  once  we  thought  to 
have  a  brush  with  some  of  the  refugees  that 
have  donned  the  British  uniform ;  but  at  last 
we  came  to  our  whaleboat,  and  thankful 
enouo^h  we  were  to  find  ourselves  once  more 
upon  the  water  scudding  over  to  our  harbor. 
Judo^e  Jones  acted  sullen  and  ag^o^rieved.  I 
suppose  the  falling  into  ditches,  and  climbing 
over  hedges  and  fences,  and  the  eating  poor, 
scant  fare,  and  having  one's  clothes  half  torn 
from  the  back  by  briers  and  bushes,  does  n't 
tend  to  make  one  cheerful,  but  he  might  at 
least  have  borne  his  trouble  with  his  usual 
dignity." 

"  Oh,  well,  David,  dignity  will  generally  go 
to  the  winds  when  it  comes  to  scrambling 
through  a  strange  rough  country  on  dark 
nights." 

"  We  took  him  up  to  Mrs.  Silliman's  after 
we  landed,"  continued  the  narrator.  "As 
General  Silliman  was  in  captivity  on  Long 
Island,  and  Judge  Jones  had  met  him  many 


266  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

times  and  they  had  become  quite  friendly,  it 
seemed  the  thing  to  do,  and  then  Mrs.  Silli- 
man  had  invited  us,  for  she  thought  it  would 
give  her  a  chance  to  ask  about  her  husband. 
As  we  entered,  Mrs.  Silliman  said  to  our 
prisoner :  — 

"  '  The  fortunes  of  war  have  brought  you 
here  under  disagreeable  circumstances.' 

"  '  Did  they  plunder  when  they  took  your 
husband?'  he  replied. 

"  '  Not  much,'  said  Mrs.  Silliman  ;  although 
you  remember.  Desire,  that  they  did  take 
whatever  silver  they  could  find,  and  anything 
else  that  was  valuable  to  them  and  easily 
transported. 

" '  Well,  madam,'  answered  Judge  Jones, 
'  they  have  plundered  my  house.  I  don't 
believe  they  have  left  my  wife  with  a  second 
sheet.' 

" '  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  it,'  said  Mrs. 
Silliman,  '  and  I  hope  it  is  not  as  bad  as  you 
fear.  But  I  have  prepared  some  refreshment 
for  you,  sir,  and  I  shall  be  pleased  to  have 
you  sit  with  us  at  our  table.'  Judge  Jones 
thanked  her  and  accepted  the  hospitality, 
although  not  with  very  good  grace,  and  there 
I  left  him.  But  you  know  that  he  is  not  to 
stay  here  in  Fairfield.     They  fear  the  Tories. 


THE  WHALEBOAT  PARTY  267 

They  are  thick  as  bees  in  Newtown,  and  they 
use  the  harbor  at  Newfield  as  their  special 
point  of  departure  for  parts  unknown.  Our 
neighbors  have  petitioned  the  governor  and 
council  to  do  something  to  stop  the  thieving 
and  confiscating  that  goes  on  right  under  the 
noses  of  the  people.  I  think  they  '11  send 
our  prisoner  or  prisoners  (for  we  took  a  young 
man  with  Judge  Jones)  to  Middletown,  where 
he  '11  be  out  of  the  way  and  hard  for  the 
Tories  to  reach." 

Desire  had  been  fingering  the  small  packet 
which  David  had  discovered  while  fumbling 
in  his  pockets.  She  had  taken  it  from  him 
during  their  conversation,  while  in  his  absorp- 
tion, having  failed  to  note  the  fact,  he  con- 
tinued to  examine  his  clothes,  seeming  to  have 
a  faint  impression  that  something  was  in  some 
hiding-place  and  ought  to  be  forthcoming. 

"  Don't  bother  yourself,  David,"  said  De- 
sire at  last,  with  a  faint  gleam  of  fun.  "  I  've 
found  it.  I  suppose  you  're  looking  after 
this  ?  "  She  held  up  the  article  before  her 
brother's  face. 

"  Why,  yes.  Desire,  where  in  the  world  did 
you  get  it?  I  put  it  here,  or  somewhere 
else." 

As  he  made  the  remark,  he  laid  his  hand 


268  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

first  upon  an  inner  vest  pocket  and  then  on 
the  leg  of  his  right  boot. 

^'  You  gave  it  to  me,  Mr.  Dreamer/'  said 
his  sister  laughingly.  "  David,  some  day 
you  '11  forget  your  name.  We  '11  have  to 
label  you  ;  but,  dear  soul,  you  must  be  tired 
and  hungry.  Here  comes  Chloe  to  tell  you 
that  she 's  made  some  hot  cakes  and  any 
number  of  nice  things  for  you." 

So  while  the  young  man  was  satisfying  the 
cravings  of  a  half -famished  stomach,  his  sister, 
having  withdrawn  to  her  room,  was  decipher- 
ing the  curious  hieroglyphics  in  her  letter. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THEY    DINE    OX    TURKEY    IX    MID-SEA 

It  was  a  rude  cabin  in  which  the  Hardy 
family  lived  through  the  autumn  and  winter 
of  '79  and  '80.  A  sum  of  money  had  been 
collected  in  the  county  of  Hartford,  according 
to  the  recommendation  of  Governor  Trumbull, 
for  the  relief  of  sufferers  in  New  Haven,  Fair- 
field, and  Nor  walk,  and  a  portion  of  it  had 
been  passed  over  to  Jonathan  Sturges  for  dis- 
tribution ;  but  David  and  Desire  declined  the 
proffered  help.  The  season  was  the  severest 
that  had  ever  visited  the  country.  Long  Island 
Sound  being  frozen  over  so  that  men  walked 
or  drove  from  one  shore  to  the  other.  In 
spite  of  the  cold  weather,  there  were  numer- 
ous expeditions  across  this  frozen  sea,  and  the 
distress  was  well-nio;h  unmitig-ated. 

In  March,  Captain  Peter  Thorpe  was  per- 
mitted by  the  governor  to  procure  and  export 
to  the  eastward  (the  ice  having  broken  up 
and  the  cold  being  modified)  twenty-five  bar- 
rels   of   pork,    thirty  of  flour,  five   hundred 


270  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

bushels  of  corn,  two  hundred  o£  rye,  and  a 
thousand  pounds  of  flax,  to  be  exchanged  for 
boards,  glass,  and  other  necessaries,  so  that  a 
few  of  the  citizens  of  the  town  mio^ht  rebuild 
their  houses  or  shops  under  the  authority  of 
the  selectmen,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
proper  regulations  of  the  naval  office. 

All  trade  had  been  at  a  standstill  for  years, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that 
one  bouo-ht  the  commonest  articles  used  in 
building.  Some  of  this  stuff  which  Captain 
Thorpe  was  to  get  had  been  engaged  by  David 
Hardy.  Terrible  suffering  through  the  winter 
months  had  forced  him  to  accept  the  aid 
offered  by  Duane.  The  wind  and  the  snow  had 
played  havoc  with  their  cabin.  There  were 
days  when  they  ate  frozen  food.  Crowded 
into  their  hut,  and  crouching  over  the  sput- 
tering fire,  they  lived  amid  clouds  of  smoke, 
which  filled  the  low  spaces  and  gave  them 
aching  eyes  and  sore  throats ;  but  they  were 
not  worse  off  than  their  neighbors,  so  that  in 
the  fellowship  of  pain  they  encouraged  each 
other,  and  bore  up  bravely  for  the  sake  of 
native  land. 

Cold  might  hold  them  in  its  vice-like  grip, 
storms  might  rage  and  bury  the  hut  in  snow 
(then  they  were  passably  warm),  poverty  might 


THEY  DINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MID-SEA      271 

stint  them  to  the  coarsest,  commonest  fare ; 
nevertheless  hope  was  swelling  within  the 
breast.  France  had  finally  come  to  their 
rescue  in  a  generous  way.  Assurance  was 
now  made  doubly  sure  that  the  patriots  must 
win  the  day. 

"  I  know  it 's  hard,"  said  Desire,  as  Lois 
complained  of  her  frost-bitten  ears  and  David 
referred  to  a  frozen  nose,  "  but  we  '11  have  a 
better  shelter  next  winter,  and  we  shall  soon 
see  the  dawning  of  a  true  liberty  day." 

The  faith  and  courage  of  this  young  woman 
helped  to  sustain  many  a  worn,  depressed  soul. 
No  soldier  in  the  conflict  showed  a  nobler 
spirit  of  self-denial,  or  a  grander  purpose  to 
fiorht  the  issue  to  its  victorious  end. 

The  Hardy  family  might  be  living  in  close 
quarters,  subjected  to  unwonted  deprivation, 
yet  their  cabin  was  the  centre  of  attraction 
for  the  young  patriots  of  the  shore,  and  De- 
sire continued  to  inflame  these  visitors  with  a 
fresh  and  beautiful  enthusiasm,  for  the  cause 
of  human  freedom.  The  Continental  army 
and  its  needs,  the  state  of  the  local  militia, 
the  stirring  writings  of  Paine,  the  speeches  in 
the  American  Congress,  the  turn  of  events  in 
the  south  or  north,  —  everything  pertaining 
to  the  great  struggle  was   on  her  tongue's 


272  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

end.  She  had  familiarized  herself  with  the 
condition  of  the  currency  ;  she  talked  with 
intellio^ence  concernino^  the  difficulties  con- 
nected  with  short  enlistments,  scant  clothing, 
raw  troops,  disaffected  officers  and  privates. 
In  her  serious,  w^se  reflection,  she  had  can- 
vassed every  question  suggested  by  the  dis- 
eourao^ements  of  the  hour. 

"  I  'm  ashamed  of  my  countrymen  that 
suffer  under  an  attack  of  the  cannon  fever 
and  skulk  away  home,"  she  observed  to  Major 
Tallmadge,  who  made  bitter  complaints  over 
the  frequency  of  desertions  ;  "  but  w^e  must 
remember  that  the  majority  of  our  soldiers 
knew  little  or  nothing  about  service.  They  've 
been  brought  up  to  the  plough.  The  shock  of 
warfare  unnerves  them,  and  they  have  yet  to 
learn  that  mastery  of  self  which  enables  one 
to  resist  the  first  onset  of  such  a  foe." 

So  Desire  souo^ht  to  relieve  the  burden  of 
chagrin  and  disappointment  manifested  by 
some  of  the  patriot  officers,  and  to  excite  a 
larger  confidence  in  poor,  weak  humanity. 

She  was  still  the  tireless  comforter  in 
homes  where  sickness  and  sorrow  came,  show- 
ing infinite  tact  in  her  treatment  of  different 
individuals,  adapting  herself  to  their  moods 
and  conditions  with  delicate  sympathy,  bring- 
ing cheer  and  gladness  with  her  presence. 


THEY  DINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MID-SEA     273 

This  robust  patriotism  often  suggested  some- 
thing of  a  masculine  nature  in  her  constitu- 
tion. She  had  a  forceful,  startling  way  of 
expressing  an  opinion  on  public  affairs.  In 
her  championship  of  independence  and  ur- 
gency to  drive  the  British  from  the  land,  she 
was  charged  with  unsexing  herself,  defying 
the  rigid  conventionalities  of  good  society. 
There  was  a  strength  of  mind,  a  loftiness  of 
purpose,  a  conception  of  duty,  a  superiority  to 
circumstances  about  her  that  reminded  close 
observers  of  some  ancient  hero  and  martyr. 

And  yet  Desire  had  all  the  fine  sensibilities, 
the  subtle  graces,  peculiar  to  the  highest  tyjDe 
of  womanhood.  It  was  simply  that  in  her 
absorbing  devotion  to  country  she  had  passed 
for  the  time  being  beyond  the  recognition  of 
sex.  A  patriot  was  a  patriot,  whatever  might 
be  the  cut  of  the  g^arment  or  the  cast  of  the 
mind.  She  was  sweet  and  gentle  in  the 
home,  her  heart  yearned  over  the  little  circle 
grouped  about  her  ;  but  she  felt  a  call  to 
take  some  part  in  the  enfranchisement  of  her 
country.  If  she  was  not  permitted  to  shoulder 
a  musket  and  march  to  meet  the  foe,  she 
might  kindle  a  flame  of  patriotism,  or  fan  it 
into  a  little  conflagration,  among  the  people 
that  touched  her  life. 


274  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

Perchance,  while  rendering  this  service  to 
the  progress  of  liberty,  there  might  come  the 
opportunity  to  do  some  better  work,  and  give 
life  itself  if  need  be.  That  was  her  spirit 
and  vocation  these  days,  and  she  represented 
a  class  of  patriots  that  served  to  infuse  fresh 
zeal  and  determination  into  thousands  of 
hearts  when  the  tide  seemed  to  turn  against 
the  new  States,  and  a  few  men  would  fain 
have  entered  into  compromise  with  the  op- 
pressor. 

The  exchange  of  General  Silliman  and 
Judge  Jones  having  been  arranged,  the  latter 
was  brought  to  Fairfield ;  but  in  the  passing 
of  papers,  David  was  sent  as  a  messenger  to 
Lebanon,  and  his  sister  accompanied  him. 
They  traveled  on  horseback.  Although  they 
knew  the  governor,  this  was  the  first  time  that 
his  Excellency  had  entertained  them  in  his 
home. 

The  house  was  a  comely  two-storied  wooden 
structure,  double  doors  admitting  the  visit- 
ors to  a  hall  running  through  the  centre.  It 
was  set  low  on  the  ground,  the  big  chimney 
towering  above  it,  —  a  square,  roomy,  simple 
dwelling,  having  the  appearance  of  comfort 
and  prosperity.  The  war  office  was  near,  a 
low,  hipped-roofed  structure,  with  attic,  three 


THEY  DINE  ON   TUBKEY  IN  MID-SEA      275 

windows,  and  a  door  in  front,  one  window  in 
each  end,  a  great  chimney,  and  an  old  well- 
sweep  standing  guard  on  the  left. 

Governor  Trumbull  was  seventy  years  old 
at  this  time,  a  small,  finely  featured  man,  an- 
tique in  his  dress,  formal  and  dignified  in 
manners,  didactic  and  methodical,  a  lover  of 
business  and  action,  absorbed  in  public  af- 
fairs, devoted  to  his  country  with  a  passion 
that  was  electric  and  masterful. 

"  I  have  considered  the  matter,"  said  he  to 
David,  when  his  message  —  both  spoken  and 
written  —  had  been  delivered.  "  I  have  re- 
ferred it  to  my  council,  and  we  are  ready  to 
do  all  in  our  power  to  expedite  affairs." 

As  he  spoke,  the  elaborate  wig  upon  his 
head  shook  itself  loose  from  the  powder  freely 
scattered  over  it.  He  wore  fine  ruffles  on  his 
wrists  and  in  his  bosom,  a  thick,  high  neck- 
cloth supported  his  chin,  while  his  wide- 
skirted  coat  was  buttoned  nearly  to  the  top, 
now  and  then  a  space  being  left  open  through 
which  the  spotless  linen  under-trimming  ap- 
peared. A  benign,  firm  mouth,  keen  eyes, 
high  forehead,  prominent  nose,  and  spiritual 
countenance  impressed  one  with  the  extraor- 
dinary character  of  the  man. 

"  Methinks  I  have  often  heard  our  friend. 


276  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Mr.  Thaddeus  Burr,  speak  o£  Desire  Hardy. 
Even  the  members  of  our  Council  of  Safety 
must  turn  one  side  on  occasion  and  confide 
to  each  other  the  homely  gossip  of  town  or 
domestic  circle."  AYhile  speaking,  the  good 
man  smiled  paternally  upon  his  lovely  guest. 
"  But  it  is  not  often,  child  "  (no  wonder  that 
the  governor  addressed  Desire  with  this  famil- 
iar term,  for  she  appeared  as  fresh  and  girl- 
ish in  his  presence  as  a  maiden  in  her  teens), 
"that  I  hear  a  gentleman  speak  with  such 
loving  praises  concerning  our  patriotic  girls. 
Mr.  Burr  tells  me  you  are  the  stanchest 
defender  of  the  true  political  faith  in  all  the 
country  round." 

"  I  fear,  your  Excellency,  that  my  friend 
speaks  with  overmuch  kindness.  He  is  a  very 
gallant  gentleman,  the  soul  of  honor  and 
courtesy.  Mayhap  in  the  natural  warmth 
of  his  heart  he  puts  too  high  a  value  upon 
the  poor  services  that  I  may  render  our  be- 
loved country." 

"  Thou  art  a  modest-spoken  maiden,"  con- 
tinued the  governor,  "but  I  have  heard  other 
wise  observers  give  their  testimony.  I  thank 
God  for  such  loyal  souls  among  our  women. 
They  are  to  us  a  mighty  stay  and  support, 
the  solace  and  inspiration  of  our  life."     Deep 


THEY  DINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MID-SEA      277 

emotion  was  manifest  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker,  for  a  goodly  report  had  come  to 
Governor  Trumbull.  The  names  of  David 
and  Desire  were  both  familiar  to  him.  He 
knew  that  on  many  occasions  they  had  served 
their  country  with  rare  fidelity.  And  now 
he  stood  before  them  like  some  patriarch 
bestowing  a  blessing  upon  the  souls  that  had 
proved  worthy  of  his  love.  "  Virtue  ought 
to  be  the  object  of  all  government,"  he  con- 
tinued reverently.  "  It  is  such  a  government 
that  we  are  foundinof  in  America.  The  men 
and  women  who  oive  themselves  to  the  task 
will  command  the  gratitude  of  all  coming 
generations.  My  friends,  remember  that  the 
business  of  religion  must  be  our  daily  con- 
cern. The  people  who  love  righteousness 
and  exalt  God  are  the  people  who  ought  to 
do  the  most  and  the  best  for  the  freedom  of 
the  individual  and  the  glory  of  a  nation." 

These  lofty  sentiments  gave  the  travelers 
something  to  think  about  on  their  return 
to  Fairfield.  There  was  much  pleasant  con- 
verse before  the  horse  was  brousfht  to  the 
front  door  on  the  foUowino-  mornino",  and 
the  young  folks  became  deeply  interested  in 
the  company  that  gathered  in  the  hospitable 
dwelling  of  this  noble  friend  of  liberty ;  but 


278  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

time  was  precious,  and  they  tarried  no  longer 
than  circumstances  dictated. 

"I  met  you  at  one  wedding  festival  in 
Fairfield/'  said  Governor  Trumbull  to  Desire, 
as  the  brother  and  sister  bade  their  host  fare- 
well ;  "  and  if  God  spares  my  life,  I  shall 
hoj3e  to  meet  you  on  another  such  occasion." 

The  grave  and  beautiful  courtesy  of  the 
old  gentleman  touched  the  heart  of  the  young 
woman.  The  lio-ht  of  an  ardent  faith  in  the 
coming  greatness  of  her  country  illumined 
the  face  of  Desire. 

"  May  God  speed  the  day  when  this  land 
shall  be  freed  from  the  oppressor,  and  a  mil- 
lion happy  homes  adorn  the  fair  landscape," 
was  the  lady's  reply. 

"  Amen,"  said  Governor  Trumbull.  "  May 
God  bless  you,  and  make  one  of  those  happy 
homes  your  own." 

And  so  the  travelers  hastened  from  Leba- 
non to  Fairfield,  enriched  by  the  good  man's 
benediction. 

The  governor  and  his  council  demanded 
the  following  parole  of  Judge  Jones  :  — 

"I,  Thomas  Jones,  of  Long  Island,  do 
acknowledge  myself  a  prisoner  of  war  to 
the  United  States  of  America,  and  do  on  my 
sacred  honor  engage  and  promise  to  say  nor 


THEY  BINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MID-SEA     279 

do  nothing  contrary  to  the  interests  and  in- 
dependence of  the  said  United  States,  and  I 
promise  to  go  from  Fairfield  to  Lebanon,  in 
the  State  of  Connecticut,  to  Governor  Trum- 
bull and  wait  his  further  orders." 

Thaddeus  Burr  was  a  witness  to  the  paper. 

When  the  time  came  to  exchancre  General 
Silliman  and  Judge  Jones,  the  general  set  off 
from  Long  Island  with  his  escort  of  redcoats, 
while  the  judge  sailed  from  the  Connecticut 
shore  with  his  escort  of  patriots.  The  boats 
met  in  the  middle  of  the  Sound,  and  it  was 
the  hour  for  dinner. 

They  hailed  each  other. 

"  Is  General  Silliman  in  that  boat  ? " 
shouted  the  leader  of  the  patriots. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  answer.  "  Is  Judge  Jones 
in  your  boat  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

The  two  craft  came  to  close  quarters,  and 
the  prisoners  arose  and  saluted ;  then  fol- 
lowed hand  to  hand  greetings  and  a  moment 
of  excitement  and  confusion. 

"  Mrs.  Silliman  has  sent  a  turkey  for  you  to 
feast  upon,  general,"  said  one  patriot  sailor. 

"  And  will  Judge  Jones  stay  wdth  me  for 
an  hour  and  join  in  the  feast  ?  " 

The  happy  commander  of  state  militia  was 


280  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

speaking  to  the  justice  o£  the  Supreme  Court 
of  New  York. 

"  You  honor  me/'  was  the  cordial  reply. 
"  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  celebrate  this 
event  by  dining  with  my  esteemed  friend." 

And  soon  the  two  gentlemen,  with  David 
Hardy  and  Sherwood  Spalding,  were  doing 
credit  to  the  fare  which  the  foresight  and 
kindness  of  Mrs.  Silliman  had  provided. 

The  conversation  turned  on  Governor 
Tryon,  and  Judge  Jones  waxed  eloquent  in 
his  eulogy. 

"  He  is  governor  no  longer,"  remarked  the 
judge.  "  Bitter  foes  have  sought  his  re- 
moval, and  now  that  Robertson  succeeds  him, 
affairs  will  run  less  smoothly  than  when 
General  Try  on  was  at  the  head." 

"  It  may  be  that  we  are  unduly  prejudiced 
against  him,"  rephed  General  Silliman,  "  but 
to  the  people  of  Connecticut  he  seems  any- 
thing but  an  exemplary  man.  His  course  in 
our  State  has  been  marked  with  great  un- 
kindness  and  barbarity." 

"  Simply  the  hard  necessity  of  warfare ! " 
exclaimed  Judge  Jones,  with  warmth.  ''Tryon 
is  an  honest,  worthy,  true-born  Englishman, 
whose  word  is  as  sacred  and  binding  as  his 
obligation.      He  is   beloved,    esteemed,    and 


THEY  DINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MID-SEA      281 

almost  adored  by  the  people  of  New  York. 
Why,  sir,  when  he  was  governor,  he  heard  all 
complaints  with  the  utmost  patience,  his  ears 
were  always  open  as  well  to  the  rich  as  the 
poor,  he  was  easy  of  access,  kind,  charitable, 
humane,  and  benevolent,  a  gentleman  of  ac- 
tivity, but  sincere  and  honorable." 

David's  eyes  glittered  threateningly  during 
the  speech,  while  General  Silliman  smiled  with 
an  air  of  generous  indulgence. 

Doubtless  Judge  Jones  had  seen  the  best 
side  of  The  Great  Wolf.  So  far  as  the  eulo- 
gist knew,  he  had  never  appeared  in  his  role 
of  Billy  the  Butcher ;  and  Judge  Jones 
doubtless  felt  that  as  a  Firebrand,  Tryon  was 
simply  doing  his  duty  in  Connecticut. 

"  Why,  sir,"  continued  this  brave  apologist 
of  the  royal  governor,  "  he  despised,  ab- 
horred, abominated  all  kinds  of  peculation, 
and  never  did  a  mean  act  while  in  office.  I 
consider  him  a  valiant  soldier,  a  man  of  strict 
integrity,  and  a  good  Christian." 

As  Judge  Jones  was  now  the  guest  of 
General  Silliman  and  the  patriots  were  jubi- 
lant over  his  return  to  Fairfield  and  his  post 
of  duty,  there  was  nothing  for  them  to  do 
but  listen  with  incredulity  or  astonishment  to 
such  praise  of  the  British  officer. 


282  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  Well,  sir/'  answered  General  Silliman, 
"  I  perceive  that  our  views  on  Governor  Tryon 
do  not  coincide.  But  I  think  we  agree  that 
this  day  is  a  happy  one  for  both  of  us.  I 
have  not  seen  my  little  son  Benjamin,  who 
was  born  after  I  had  been  taken  to  Long 
Island.  And  I  know  that  my  faithful  spouse 
is  awaiting  my  return  with  full  heart." 

"  And  I,  sir,"  exclaimed  the  judge,  "  shall 
receive  a  royal  welcome  from  my  family  and 
friends,  .and  once  more  shall  find  myself  in 
the  current  of  public  events,  although  held 
in  check  by  force  of  circumstances.  Yes,  it 
is  a  day  of  gladness  for  both  of  us.  Yet 
methinks  that  clouds  shut  out  a  great  part 
of  the  light,  and  the  storm  shows  no  sign  of 
passing."  He  turned  toward  David,  abruptly 
changing  the  subject  of  conversation.  "  Your 
likeness  to  your  cousin,  sir,  is  remarkable.  I 
think  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  tell 
you  apart." 

"  It  is  often  observed,"  replied  David 
gravely,  "  sometimes  I  fear  to  our  mutual 
embarrassment." 

"  And  there  is  a  sister,  if  I  mistake  not," 
continued  the  judge.  "  Did  I  not  see  her 
with  Mrs.  Silliman  in  Fairfield  ?  " 

"  My  twin  sister,"  said  David  courteously. 


JUDGE  THOMAS  JONES 


THEY  DINE  ON   TURKEY  IN  MIDSEA      283 

"  A  very  decorous,  lovely  young  woman," 
continued  the  judge.  "  What  a  strange  coin- 
cidence that  you  three  people  should  be  such 
imaofes  of  one  another." 

"  I  think  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  young 
lady  and  gentleman  more  unlike  in  nature 
than  Miss  Desire  Hardy  and  Mr.  Duane  Liv- 
ingstone," interrupted  Spalding.  "  The  lady 
is  the  briofhtest  and  noblest  of  her  sex." 

There  was  a  moment's  break  in  the  conver- 
sation :  Judo^e  Jones  had  entertained  Duane 
Livingstone  and  Sherwood  Spalding  many 
times  at  Tryon  Hall,  and  had  observed  that 
the  best  of  feeling  did  not  exist  between  them. 

'^  I  've  got  your  musket  and  a  few  other 
things  which  you  dropped  in  the  woods  on 
the  edge  of  Nor  walk,"  whispered  David  to 
the  Fairfield  Tory  and  refugee. 

Spalding  moved  uneasily  in  his  seat,  and 
the  color  mounted  his  face. 

"  Keep  them  for  me,  my  friend,"  was  the 
reply,  made  in  undertone.  "  Some  day  I  '11 
go  over  and  get  the  stuff." 

There  was  a  significant  nod  of  the  head, 
and  an  air  of  provoking  confidence  on  the 
part  of  the  speaker. 

"  Yes,  you  '11  find  them  ready  for  you  when 
you  come; "  and  David's  manner  was  that  of 
warnino'  or  challeno^e. 


CHAPTER  XX 

A    WOUNDED    MAN    IN    THE    ATTIC 

The  summer  was  another  season  of  depres- 
sion. Little  occurred  to  strengthen  the  faith 
of  the  patriots,  and  there  were  weeks  which 
never  discovered  a  single  rift  in  the  war 
clouds.  Men  deserted  shamelessly  from  the 
American  army,  and  others  entered  into 
secret  correspondence  with  the  enemy,  sim- 
ply biding  the  time  for  their  defection. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  public  wrangling 
and  private  jealousy  among  the  patriots,  so 
that  one  did  not  feel  sure  of  his  man,  and 
often  the  true  hearts  found  themselves  in 
gravest  perplexity,  for  they  did  not  know 
whom  to  trust.  But  there  were  many  stanch 
souls  that  never  wavered  in  their  assurance  of 
success. 

"  In  a  series  of  marvelous  occurrences  dur- 
ing the  present  war,"  Governor  Trumbull 
had  said  to  Desire  and  David,  "  he  must  be 
blind  who  doth  not  see  the  divine  ordering 
thereof." 


A    WOUNDED  MAN  IN  THE  ATTIC         285 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency,"  had  been  tKe 
answer  of  the  young  woman,  "  God  is  mani- 
fest in  this  conflict  not  less  than  in  the  wars 
of  ancient  Israel." 

General  Silliman  was  now  in  command  of 
the  shore  forces  again,  and  the  early  events 
of  the  conflict  seemed  on  the  verge  of  a  repe- 
tition in  Connecticut.  The  jails  and  prisons 
were  filled  with  Tories  from  other  States. 
Every  bay  and  harbor  on  the  coast  was  the 
scene  of  frequent  incursions  and  excursions. 
The  inadequate  protection  of  the  shore  towns 
was  a  constant  invitation  to  "  The  Fire- 
brand "  to  repeat  his  cruelty  and  barbarism. 

Nevertheless,  there  was  a  small  circle  of 
enthusiasts  in  Fairfield  that  waxed  stronger 
and  stronger  in  courage,  and  they  held  unin- 
terrupted communication  with  the  patriot 
leaders. 

Aaron  Burr,  now  a  man  high  in  public 
esteem  and  fertile  in  resources,  sent  an  occa- 
sional missive  into  the  Hardy  household, 
relating  his  adventures,  breathing  forth  love, 
patriotism,  ambition,  spurring  on  the  little 
company  of  kindred  spirits  to  fresh  effort  and 
devotion.  One  day,  when  they  were  in  the 
midst  of  buildino^  their  modest  cotta2"e,  the 
stuff  having  come  to  them  through  Captain 


286  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Thorpe,  Burr  appeared  on  the  scene  in  all 
the  radiancy  of  his  fashionable  clothes,  gay 
manners,  and  high  spirit.  He  was  only  five 
feet  and  six  inches  in  height,  but  there  was 
that  in  his  person  which  made  one  forget  or 
ignore  his  small  stature.  Slender,  symmetri- 
cal, well  poised,  with  fair  transparent  com- 
plexion and  a  commanding  aspect,  forehead 
prominent,  nose  rectilinear,  betraying  haughti- 
ness, eyes  dark  hazel,  glowing  \ai\\  ardor  and 
scintillating  with  tremulous  sensibility,  lips 
thin  and  flexible,  voice  manly  and  melodious, 
speaking  with  great  animation  and  frank- 
ness, all  devotion  to  the  ladies,  gazing  at 
them  with  a  sort  of  rapture,  using  the  most 
captivating  gestures,  and  talking  with  a  natu- 
ral and  insinuating  eloquence,  —  he  was  a 
young  man  to  win  instant  attention  in  any 
company,  and  cause  great  flutterings  of  heart 
whenever  thrown  into  the  society  of  the  gen- 
tler sex. 

Burr's  visit  to  Fairfield  was  during  this 
period  of  depression  ;  and  his  unfailing  flow 
of  humor,  his  dashing,  riotous  spirit  of  ad- 
venture and  hopefulness,  did  much  to  dispel 
any  gloom  that  chanced  among  the  Hardy 
patriots.  He  was  aided  in  this  delightful 
task  by  Major  Tallmadge,  who  still  made  fre- 


A   WOUNDED  MAN  IN   THE  ATTIC         287 

quent  visits  to  the  town,  and  held  closely  in 
hand  the  agents  engaged  in  secret  service  for 
Washington. 

Tallmadge  was  quite  the  contrast  of  Burr 
in  respect  to  size,  looks,  and  manners.  Yet  in 
personal  charm,  soldierly  mien,  and  gayety  of 
disposition,  one  noted  a  marked  resemblance. 
The  home  that  entertained  two  such  guests 
was  bound  to  grow  bright  with  the  cheeriest 
fellowship,  and  any  life  caught  in  the  current 
of  their  youthful  exuberance  and  bonhomie 
must  needs  shine  with  peculiar  brightness.   . 

"  Ah,  David,"  said  Burr,  "  you  made  a  mis- 
take in  not  joining  the  Continental  army.  We 
young  bucks  saw  lively  times,  and  I  hear  that 
you  have  been  wasting  your  martial  energies 
in  petty  warfare  along  the  Connecticut  coast." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  stick  to  your  regiment, 
then  ?  "  inquired  David,  with  some  degree  of 
asperity. 

Burr,  having  left  the  army,  was  now  living 
at  his  ease. 

"  Oh,"  was  the  ready  answer,  "  illness 
forced  me  out  of  the  ranks.  I  was  obliged 
to  preserve  my  health."  It  had  been  cur- 
rently reported  that  the  proud  young  officer 
did  not  like  some  of  his  superiors. 

"  And  pray,  sir,  is  not  David  fighting  as 


288  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

truly  for  his  country  when  engaged  in  pro- 
tecting our  homes  and  serving  loyally  in  the 
state  militia  ?  "  It  was  Desire  that  put  the 
question  to  Colonel  Burr. 

''  My  charming  cousin,"  exclaimed  the  gal- 
lant officer,  "  I  wish  a  thousand  times  that  I 
had  such  a  brace  of  sisters  to  protect.  My 
patriotism  would  multiply  a  hundredfold." 
He  smiled  in  his  subtle  witchery. 

"  It  is  a  noble  service  which  many  of  the 
train-bands  have  performed  under  the  lead  of 
their  captain-general,  our  great  war  governor, 
Trumbull,"  said  Major  Tallmadge.  "  Con- 
necticut has  distino-uished  herself  most  hon- 
orably.  Washington  leans  upon  his  good 
brother  '  Jonathan.'  The  virtues  of  such  a 
patriot,  forwarded  by  the  noble  support  of 
kindred  spirits  in  this  commonwealth,  have 
been  an  unfailing  resource  and  encourage- 
ment to  the  Commander-in-chief." 

"  I  know  it,  I  know  it,"  interrupted  Colo- 
nel Burr,  with  enthusiasm.  "  I  am  proud  of 
such  men  as  poor  David  here,  who  wants  to 
preach  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  yet  boldly 
takes  up  arms  and  fights  the  devil  with  a 
matter  of  fact  instrument  like  a  musket. 
David,  you  've  done  your  duty.  You  ought 
to    have  stayed   on   your    native    heath    and 


A    WOUNDED  MAN  IN   THE  ATTIC         289 

met  the  aggressor  when  he  came  to  despoil 
this  fair  land.  By  Jove,  my  boy,  I  'm  going 
to  speak  a  good  word  for  you  when  the  war 
is  ended,  and  see  if  we  cannot  put  you  where 
your  shining  qualities  are  credited  for  their 
full  value." 

There  was  a  frank,  generous  expression  in 
the  speaker's  face  that  won  instant  confidence. 
But  David  smiled  in  an  absent,  deprecating 
way,  seeming  to  feel  the  kind  intentions  of  the 
speaker  at  the  same  time  that  his  mind  wan- 
dered to  other  and  more  eno^aofino'  themes. 

"  We  '11  set  up  David  as  a  teacher  of  philo- 
sophy or  some  other  profound  subject  by 
and  by,"  said  Major  Tallmadge.  "  He  has 
been  a  faithful,  courageous  member  of  the 
train-band,  but  war  is  not  in  his  line.  It  is 
only  the  exigency  of  the  situation  that  makes 
it  bearable  for  him.  Let  us  pray  that  the 
day  of  peace  shall  speedily  dawn  upon  us." 

"  It  is  true,"  observed  Desire,  with  a  color 
of  sadness  in  her  words,  ''  David  is  a  man 
of  peace.  His  heart  is  with  his  books.  And 
I  am  often  made  wretched  because  I  have 
to  send  him  into  the  strife.  Not  that  he  is 
unwilling,  or  lacks  the  zeal  of  ser^dce.  Far 
from  it.  You  know,  gentlemen,  that  a  more 
unflinching,  a  more  devoted  patriot  is  hard 


290  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

to  find."  Desire  paused  a  moment  in  her 
praises.  "  But  his  tastes  and  aptitudes  do  not 
run  to  fighting.  He  sometimes  gets  absorbed 
in  less  tangible  things."  Desire  had  a  whim- 
sical expression  upon  her  face.  "  He  forgets 
himself  and  works  away  bravely  upon  some 
metaphysical  contention,  and  unless  somebody 
keeps  watch  over  him,  the  enemy,  methinks, 
might  bag  him  as  the  hunter  does  his  game." 

They  all  laughed,  David  looking  indul- 
gently upon  his  sister,  only  half  heeding  the 
words  which  she  had  spoken,  his  mind  wan- 
dering upon  the  political  aspects  of  public 
affairs,  shaping  the  course  of  events  in  case  the 
war  ended  and  the  people  were  brought  face  to 
face  with  the  questions  of  a  new  government. 

In  the  midst  of  this  conversation,  one  sum- 
mer evening,  as  the  shades  had  thickened 
into  darkness,  Chloe  entered  the  room  and 
motioned  for  her  mistress  to  come  out.  Ex- 
cusing herself  for  a  moment.  Desire  followed 
the  slave. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  the  young  woman, 
with  eagerness. 

"  Minto  here  say  dat  Mas'r  Livingstone  be 
mighty  sick  in  de  ba'n." 

Desire  waited  not  for  any  further  words 
of  explanation.     She  ran  through  the  night 


A   WOUNDED  MAN  IN  THE  ATTIC         291 

toward  the  rough  shed  which  had  served  as 
a  shelter  to  their  stock  and  a  granary  for 
their  corn  and  grain.  It  was  at  best  a  poor, 
mean  makeshift  of  a  place,  crowded  with  pro- 
duce and  implements,  hastily  constructed,  and 
very  insecure.  Here  she  found  Mr.  Duane 
Livingstone,  lying  weak,  bruised,  wounded, 
and  unconscious  upon  the  hay. 

"  What  does  this  mean,"  cried  Desire,  as 
she  tried  to  pierce  through  the  blackness  and 
distinguish  objects  before  her. 

"  Mas'r  Livingstone,  he  stagger  into  de 
ba'n  like  a  drunken  man,  and  call  me  and  say 
tell  my  missis,  an'  den  he  fall  down  in  a  heap, 
he  do."  And  that  was  all  the  information  to 
be  elicited  from  Minto. 

The  first  thing  was  to  bring  the  young  man 
back  to  consciousness  and  learn  what  ailed 
him.  Desire's  experience  among  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  had  taught  her  how  to  deal 
with  ordinary  cases.  So  she  dispatched  Chloe 
to  the  unfinished  house  for  the  simple  reme- 
dies which  they  kept  in  stock,  and  soon  the 
efforts  of  the  mistress  with  her  two  faithful 
helpers  were  rewarded  by  signs  of  returning 
Hfe. 

David  and  Lois  had  been  left  to  entertain 
their  visitors,  although  the  sudden  exit  of  De- 


292  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

sire  proved  disturbing  to  the  other  members 
of  the  party.  When  a  few  minutes  passed 
and  the  young  lady  did  not  return,  Aaron 
Burr  declared  that  he  must  now  go  over  to 
his  cousin's,  where  he  was  to  spend  the  night. 
Mr.  Thaddeus  Burr  had  built  a  humble,  tidy 
cottage  as  a  temporary  resting-place.  There 
he  continued  to  exercise  such  hospitality  as 
his  curtailed  income  and  narrow  circumstances 
permitted.  It  was  not  the  old-time,  affluent 
open  house  to  a  constant  train  of  passing 
friends  and  grateful  dependents,  but  it  was 
the  same  genial  spirit  and  gracious  courtesy, 
extended  freely  to  whomsoever  might  happen 
along  the  way,  and  choose  to  submit  unto  the 
plain  fare  and  meagre  quarters. 

Major  Tallmadge  remained.  When  at 
length  Deshe  reentered  the  room,  it  was  to 
excuse  herself  for  the  night,  on  the  plea  that 
her  presence  was  needed  elsewhere.  As  Major 
Tallmadge  bade  them  good-by,  perceiving 
that  it  would  be  aor-reeable  for  him  to  with- 
draw,  she  accompanied  him  to  the  door,  hand- 
ing into  his  keeping  a  bit  of  carefully  folded 
paper. 

No  sooner  were  the  visitors  gone  than  all 
was  commotion  in  the  house. 

"  Duane   lies  helpless  in  the  barn/'   said 


A    WOUNDED  MAN  IN   THE  ATTIC         293 

Desire  excitedly.  "  He  must  be  brought  here 
and  hidden  while  we  nurse  him  back  to  life. 
We  shall  be  forced  to  let  Dr.  Allen  into  the 
secret,  for  I  fear  that  some  bones  are  broken, 
and  his  injuries  very  severe." 

It  was  decided  to  carry  him  to  the  attic, 
as  that  place  offered  the  best  facilities  for 
concealment.  So  the  room  was  hastily  pre- 
pared, and  in  the  uncertain  yet  friendly  dark- 
ness, Minto,  Chloe,  and  David  bore  their 
unexpected  visitor  to  this  primitive  resting- 
place.  Here  the  doctor  examined  him  and 
applied  the  remedies  which  his  case  demanded, 
announcins:  that  the  o^entleman  was  elected 
to  a  siege  that  must  extend  through  weeks. 

Duane  Livingstone,  so  well  known  in  Fair- 
field, had  been  observed  with  the  keenest 
interest.  The  fact  that  his  family  took  sides 
with  the  patriots  prejudiced  his  Connecticut 
friends  in  the  young  man's  favor,  and  it  had 
been  a  long  time  before  the  people  of  Fair- 
field could  believe  that  this  handsome,  gallant 
scion  of  a  worthy  stock  was  casting  in  his  lot 
with  the  oppressors  of  the  land.  But  when 
once  this  impression  went  abroad,  Living- 
stone's friends  along  the  main  steeled  their 
hearts  against  him.  So  he  had  been  a  pro- 
scribed character  many  months,  although  it 


294  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

was  impossible  to  bring  specific  cliarges  of 
Toryism  against  him.  The  most  that  could 
be  said  in  his  condemnation  was  that  Tryon 
still  reckoned  him  as  a  friend,  and  was  known 
to  see  him  frequently,  and  the  associations  of 
the  young  man  were  chiefly  among  the  Tories 
of  New  York  and  Long  Island. 

After  the  burning,  Desire  and  David  had 
earnestly  besought  him  to  make  no  further 
attempts  to  visit  them.  His  life  was  menaced, 
and  they  feared  that  in  his  secret  coming 
their  own  friends  and  neighbors  might  be- 
come the  instruments  of  death  or  injury  to 
him.  Had  he  appeared  at  their  door  when 
Colonel  Burr  and  Major  Tallmadge  were  their 
guests,  these  men  would  have  been  in  duty 
bound  to  put  him  under  arrest ;  had  they 
seen  him  bruised  and  wounded,  his  face  and 
clothes  smeared  with  blood,  his  condition 
would  have  rendered  an  investigation  neces- 
sary, and  proved  exceedingly  embarrassing  to 
all  concerned. 

Duane  acted  contrary  to  the  wishes  and 
commands  of  his  cousins.  He  had  again 
crossed  the  Sound  and  attempted  to  steal 
unobserved  into  town,  but  the  coast  guard 
was  still  on  duty,  and  he  was  unfortunate 
enough  to  run  across  one  of  them.     Duane 


A    WOUNDED  MAN  IN   THE  ATTIC         295 

had  landed  at  Pine  Creek,  the  boat  which 
brought  him  having  turned  about  and  shoved 
off  to  sea.  He  was  picking  his  careful  way 
through  the  swamp  and  the  woods  when  the 
guard  challenged  him.  In  his  efforts  to  get 
away  undetected  he  had  slipped  and  fallen,  so 
that  the  sentinel  was  upon  him  in  a  second. 
A  rough,  wild  scuffle  had  ensued,  in  which 
Duane  was  worsted,  having  his  musket 
wrenched  from  him,  his  ribs  broken,  his  face 
badly  disfigured,  and  his  whole  system  thor- 
oughly shaken  up.  By  a  tremendous,  final 
effort  he  had  torn  himself  away  from  his  assail- 
ant, and  actually  escaped  in  the  dark,  drag- 
ging himself  stealthily,  with  great  pain  and 
loss  of  blood,  to  the  family  homestead.  This 
was  the  pHght  in  which  Desire  found  him  as 
he  lay  unconscious  upon  the  fresh  hay. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Colonel  Burr  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  when  he  called  to  say  fare- 
well to  his  cousins,  "that  you  hear  occa- 
sionally from  that  elegant  gentleman,  Mr. 
Duane  Li\dngstone.  What  a  pity  that  he 
did  n't  have  backbone  enough  to  stand  by 
his  country." 

"  Well,  now,  Aaron,"  replied  David,  "  you 
must  n't  be  uncharitable.  Remember  there  's 
another  side  to  the  question.      Duane  Hved 


296  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

in  England  a  good  many  years,  and  may  have 
imbibed  considerable  English  spirit,  although, 
mind  you,  I  'm  not  upholding  him.  I  simply 
point  out  that  extenuating  fact." 

"  Ah,  David,"  said  Burr,  with  great  good 
humor,  "  when  I  go  astray,  I  want  you  to  sit 
on  the  bench  and  judge  me.  I  think  you  "d 
find  something  to  say  in  behalf  of  the  Devil 
,  himself,  if  his  Satanic  Majesty  was  on  trial. 
You  're  a  good  boy,  David.  Heaven  was 
made  for  people  like  you.  When  you  get 
there,  keep  me  in  mind,  and  press  my  suit 
with  the  Great  Judge." 

There  was  jest  and  earnest  in  the  words 
of  the  speaker.  It  was  hard  to  say  which 
predominated. 

"I  have  never  met  the  gentleman,"  re- 
marked Major  Tallmadge,  who  had  likewise 
called  to  say  his  last  words  before  returning 
to  Washington's  headquarters.  "  I  hear  no- 
thing against  him  save  that  he  is  a  stickler 
for  neutrality,  and  a  neutrality  that  can  stand 
the  test  of  Tryon's  favor  has  too  much  Brit- 
ish color  to  suit  me.  I  can't  help  but  suspect 
it.  I  am  told  that  Mr.  Livinofstone  makes 
hay  while  the  sun  shines,  and  is  really  amass- 
ing a  good  fortune.  Well,  confusion  to  our 
enemies  and  sweets  to  the  sweet !  "  —  a  senti- 


A    WOUNDED  MAN  IN   THE  ATTIC         297 

ment  which  met  the  approval  of  the  gentle- 
men, and  occasioned  no  dissent  on  the  part 
of  Desire  and  Lois. 

"  I  should  be  extremely  sorry  to  hear  that 
Livingstone  had  ventured  into  Connecticut/' 
said  Colonel  Burr.  "  Some  tanner  mia;ht  2;et 
hold  of  him  and  tan  his  hide.  If  you  ever 
write  to  him,  David,  tell  him  to  fight  shy  of 
the  shore  patriots." 

One  might  have  suspected  from  the  tone 
that  Burr  had  some  special  purpose  in  giving 
such  a  warnino".  There  was  noted  in  the  face 
of  Desire  a  fleeting  expression  of  annoyance 
or  confusion. 

"  Oh,  the  man  is  shrewd  enough  to  keep 
himself  away  from  the  clutches  of  these  high- 
strung,  stifP-necked  Yankees,"  exclaimed  Tall- 
madge.  "  And  he  may  not  be  so  far  gone  in 
his  Toryism  as  some  of  his  old  acquaintances 
try  to  make  us  think.  He  may  be  making 
money  in  order  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
rebellion  against  the  king." 

The  major  laughed  heartily  at  his  happy 
conceit. 

The  conversation  moved  smoothly  along, 
while  Mr.  Duane  Livingstone  was  lying  help- 
less and  battered  upon  a  rough  cot  in  the 
attic.     It  required  all  the  self-command  and 


298  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

assurance  of  the  cousins  to  conceal  the  anxiety 
that  was  preying  upon  their  minds. 

When  Colonel  Burr  departed,  it  was  with  a 
consciousness  that,  whatever  power  he  exerted 
over  the  gentler  sex,  it  had  been  used  in  vain 
with  Desire  Hardy,  —  not  that  she  was  defi- 
cient in  sensibility,  or  averse  to  the  attentions 
of  men :  she  impressed  him  as  a  young  wo- 
man whose  soul  was  absorbed  in  the  struggle 
waging  through  the  land,  as  one  so  conse- 
crated to  the  cause  of  liberty  that  any  lesser 
passion  was  held  in  abject  slavery  to  it. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

MAJOR    TALLMADGE   AND    MAJOR    AJNDRB 

There  followed  days  and  weeks  of  tender 
nursing.  Work  on  the  house  was  delayed  be- 
cause the  sick  man  could  not  bear  the  racket 
of  saw  and  hammer ;  it  was  easy  enough 
to  find  plausible  excuses  in  this  time  of 
harvest  and  constant  skirmishing  with  the 
enemy. 

Through  the  unfinished  roof  the  sunshine 
and  the  fresh  air  entered  the  attic.  The 
loosely  matched  boards  of  the  floors  and  the 
thin,  unplastered  walls  gave  the  patient  every 
opportunity  to  hear  what  was  said  and  done 
in  the  little  home.  This  condition  of  thin  of  s 
did  not  prove  a  source  of  annoyance ;  on  the 
contrary,  it  became  a  means  of  entertainment 
and  diversion.  The  cousins  could  not  say  to 
the  numerous  visitors  who  frequented  their 
home,  "Hush,"  "Do  be  quiet,"  "Don't  speak 
above  a  whisper,"  for  that  would  have  re- 
quired explanation ;  so  they  let  conversation 
take   its   natural  course,  and   the  fortunate 


300  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

or  unfortunate  eavesdropper  above  gleaned 
whatever  satisfaction  his  peculiar  situation 
afforded. 

There  were  times  when  he  heard  that  which 
amused ;  then  again  some  friend  or  neighbor 
said  things  that  made  his  ears  tingle,  giving 
him  food  for  serious  reflection. 

Duane  Livingstone  himself  was  a  not  un- 
common topic  of  conversation  ;  and  if  ever  a 
man  received  a  careful  and  exhaustive  analysis 
of  his  character,  and  was  subjected  to  the 
frankest,  most  critical  examination  in  respect 
to  motives,  actions,  and  prospects,  that  man 
was  the  prisoner  of  circumstances  in  the  attic. 
He  might  blush  with  shame  when  they  called 
him  traitor,  or  give  way  to  nervous  tremors 
when  some  one  suggested  that  he  be  tarred 
and  feathered ;  but  Desire's  wise  speeches, 
her  brave  and  beautiful  defense  of  him,  the 
passion  of  personal  loyalty  into  which  she  was 
betrayed  on  two  or  three  important  occasions, 
more  than  offset  any  trivial  discomfort  caused 
by  a  candid  expression  of  the  visitor's  opinion 
concernino^  Duane  Living-stone. 

David,  Lois,  Minto,  and  Chloe  had  their 
share  in  winning  the  young  man  back  to 
health,  but  Desire  was  head  nurse,  and  she 
ruled  with  perverse  tyranny.    It  seemed  to  be 


MAJOR   TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE   301 

her  purpose,  when  Duane  began  to  mend 
and  was  comfortable,  to  pass  the  care  of  him 
over  to  the  other  members  of  the  family,  the 
excuse  being  that  more  important  duties  de- 
manded her  attention.  The  patient  fretted 
because  she  neglected  him,  but  it  availed  no- 
thin  jr. 

When  once  the  household  had  settled  down 
to  the  routine  of  his  sick  room,  Duane  was 
anticipating  many  quiet,  happy  hours  with 
Desire.  Had  she  not  shown  real,  deep  affec- 
tion for  him?  Did  he  not  detect  tell-tale 
evidences  of  an  attachment  that  was  more 
than  cousin  love?  So  he  blessed  the  fate 
which  drove  him  into  this  despoiled  town  and 
handed  him  over  to  the  watch-care  of  these 
tender-hearted  patriots. 

And  yet  h^  dream  seemed  likely  to  prove 
naught  but  a  castle  in  Spain.  Desire  was 
occupied  with  other  things.  People  were 
coming  every  hour  of  the  day  to  ask  her  help 
or  counsel.  Every  soldier  in  town  appeared 
to  think  that  he  was  not  thoroughly  prepared 
for  duty  until  he  had  talked  with  this  young 
woman  and  cauo^ht  somethinof  of  her  ardor 
and  devotion.  There  were  hours  when  Duane 
was  feverish  with  jealousy  ;  then  his  sober 
second  thought  showed  the  absurdity  of  it. 


302  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

The  more  men  the  merrier,  and  the  less  likeli- 
hood that  she  cared  particularly  for  any  of 
them. 

The  thing  which  chiefly  vexed  the  invalid 
was  Desire's  perverse  effort  to  keep  some  third 
person  in  the  room  whenever  she  sat  with  him. 
Duane  would  devise  a  score  of  errands  on 
which  to  send  the  intruder,  but  Desire  herself 
was  the  one  who  invariably  chose  to  discharge 
these  trivial  offices.  When,  by  chance,  they 
two  were  left  together,  the  conversation  was 
sure  to  run  in  certain  political  or  warlike  chan- 
nels, so  that  there  was  never  the  opportunity 
for  words  of  endearment  or  heart  confidence. 

The  shrewd  and  specific  way  in  which  De- 
sire inquired  into  the  haunts  and  associations 
of  her  cousin  would  have  suggested  to  an 
observer  that  she  had  some  deep  purpose  in 
view.  In  these  weeks,  she  learned  everything 
about  his  habits  of  life,  the  characteristic 
phrases  he  used  among  his  associates,  the 
nature  and  condition  of  his  business,  his  rela- 
tions with  the  men  through  whom  he  was 
working  in  the  amassing  of  his  fortune,  the 
names  and  peculiarities  of  many  prominent 
or  obscure  Tories  on  Long  Island  and  New 
York,  the  places  where  he  stopped  in  his  trips 
to  and  fro  between  New  York  and  Hunting- 


MAJOR   TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE   303 

ton,  how  he  carried  his  money,  what  he  paid 
for  things,  a  hundred  kindred  matters.  Was 
her  interest  so  great  in  the  young  man  that 
she  must  devote  all  her  time  with  him  to  these 
careful  inquiries  ?  Was  it  because  he  was 
Duane  Livingstone  that  she  delighted  to  pry 
into  the  innumerable  details  of  dress,  conduct, 
manners,  business,  comrades,  and  experiences  ? 

Duane  had  ventured  down  into  the  chamber 
below  the  attic  on  several  occasions ;  he  was 
beginning  to  chafe  over  his  limits  and  talk 
about  making  a  break  for  liberty,  although 
the  doctor  said  it  would  be  weeks  before  he 
was  fit  to  leave  the  place. 

On  one  evening  in  early  October,  he  was 
sitting  with  David.  Desire  and  Lois  were 
spinning,  sewing,  knitting,  or  doing  some  of 
the  many  household  tasks  which  fell  to  their 
lot.  There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  the 
voice  of  Major  Tallmadge  fell  upon  their  ears. 
A  moment,  and  greetings  were  exchanged ; 
then  the  young  officer  was  heard  to  throw 
himself  into  a  chair  before  the  blazing  fire. 

"  You  are  weary,"  cried  Desire,  startled 
by  the  worn  and  painful  expression  upon  his 
face.  "  Chloe,  make  a  glass  of  flip  for  the 
gentleman." 

Major    Tallmadge   was   not   himself.     He 


304  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

gazed  at  the  fire,  then  he  looked  upon  the  sis- 
ters. The  old  bright,  merry  spirit  was  gone. 
There  were  lines  of  sorrow  and  trouble  written 
into  cheek  and  forehead.  The  atmosphere 
of  depression  and  suffering  which  he  brought 
with  him  diffused  itself  through  the  room. 

"  I  fear  me  that  you  bring  us  doleful  news," 
said  Desire,  interpreting  the  mood  of  her 
visitor. 

"  My  God  !  "  exclaimed  the  man,  in  a  voice 
hoarse  with  anguish,  "  how  cruel  and  diabolic 
a  thino^  is  war  !  " 

"  Pray  relieve  our  anxiety,  sir." 

"  Have  you  not  heard  that  Major  Andre 
of  the  British  army  was  arrested  as  a  spy  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  have  known  it  these  several 
days,  and  the  awful  treachery  of  Benedict 
Arnold,  a  Connecticut  man,  I  am  ashamed  to 
confess." 

"  Andre  was  hanged  on  the  2d  of  Oc- 
tober." 

The  silence  was  unbroken  save  by  the 
crackling  of  the  wood  on  the  hearth  and  a 
sudden,  heavy  fall  in  the  room  above. 

"What  is  that?"  exclaimed  Major  Tall- 
madge.  Springing  to  his  feet,  he  looked  in- 
quiringly toward  Desire. 

"  Something  has  toppled  over,"  answered 


MAJOR   TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE    305 

the  young  woman  huskily.  She  arose  from 
her  seat,  as  though  she  would  prevent  any  in- 
terference or  investigation  on  the  part  of  her 
guest.  "  David  is  in  his  room.  Perhaps  he 
has  stumbled  in  the  dark.  Excuse  me  for  a 
moment;  I  will  see." 

She  took  a  fresh  candle  from  the  kitchen 
and  climbed  the  stairs  with  slow  step.  Duane 
had  fainted.  David  was  using  all  his  art  and 
skill  to  bring  the  young  man  back  to  life. 
Desire  ventured  to  stay  long  enough  to  see 
that  her  cousin  was  regaining  consciousness, 
then  she  returned  to  the  room  below,  remark- 
ing that  David  begged  to  be  excused;  he 
would  see  Major  Tallmadge  in  the  morning. 

"  You  were  with  Major  Andre,"  said  De- 
sire, with  assumed  calmness,  as  she  took  up 
the  thread  of  conversation. 

'^  Yes,  I  had  been  skirmishing  with  the 
enemy  and  capturing  cowboys,  and  on  the 
evening  of  September  23d,  I  returned  to 
the  reofiment  near  Northcastle.  After  I  had 
disposed  of  my  detachment,  I  was  informed 
that  a  prisoner  had  been  brought  in  that  day 
by  the  name  of  Anderson.  Three  men  had 
fallen  in  with  him  on  his  way  to  New  York ; 
and  finding  in  his  boots  suspicious  papers, 
they  brought  the  man  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 


306  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

Jameson,  who  soon  sent  him  on  to  Arnold  at 
West  Point." 

"  What  did  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jameson  do 
that  for  ?  "  inquired  Desire  excitedly. 

She  had  regained  her  self-possession,  and 
was  now  following  the  narrative  of  the  speaker 
with  the  closest  attention. 

"  I  have  n't  been  able  to  find  out/'  was 
the  reply  of  Major  Tallmadge,  "  but  I  did  not 
fail  to  state  the  glaring  inconsistency  of  this 
conduct  in  a  perfectly  friendly  manner,  of 
course,  to  the  ranking  officer  of  the  day,  and 
I  finally  obtained  his  reluctant  consent  to 
have  the  prisoner  brought  back  to  our  head- 
quarters." 

The  interest  taken  by  the  auditors  in  Major 
Tallmadge's  story  was  painful.  He  was  not 
aware  that  Minto  and  Chloe  stood  at  the 
kitchen  door  with  drawn  faces  and  staring 
eyes,  or  that  David  Hardy  and  Duane  Liv- 
ingstone were  seated  in  the  room  above  him, 
listening  with  bated  breath. 

"  As  soon  as  I  saw  Anderson,  and  espe- 
cially after  I  saw  him  walk  (as  he  did  almost 
constantly)  across  the  floor,  I  became  im- 
pressed with  the  belief  that  he  had  been  bred 
to  arms.  It  was  deemed  best  to  remove  the 
prisoner  to  Salem,  and  I  was  to  escort  him. 


MAJOR   TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE    307 

I  was  constantly  in  the  room  with  him,  and  he 
soon  became  very  conversable  and  extremely 
interestino^." 

Major  Tallmadge  stopped  to  wipe  the  sweat 
from  his  face.  The  room  had  grown  warm, 
or  his  emotions  had  given  him  a  fever. 

"  It  was  very  manifest  that  his  agitation 
and  anxiety  were  great.  After  dinner,  on 
the  24th,  perhaps  by  three  o'clock,  he  asked 
to  be  favored  with  a  pen,  ink,  and  paper, 
which  I  readily  granted,  and  he  wrote  a  letter 
to  General  Washington.  In  this  letter  he 
disclosed  his  true  character  to  be  Major  Andre, 
adjutant-general  to  the  British  army.  When 
I  received  and  read  the  letter  (for  he  handed 
it  to  me  as  soon  as  he  had  written  it),  my 
distress  was  extreme,  and  my  emotions  wholly 
indescribable." 

Again  there  was  a  pause  in  the  narrative, 
unbroken  by  his  hearers. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jameson's  letter,  tell- 
ing of  Andre's  capture,  had  gone  to  Arnold, 
and  he  escaped  to  the  Vulture  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  25th.  I  took  Major  Andre  under 
a  strong  escort  of  cavalry  to  West  Point,  and 
the  next  day  we  went  down  the  Hudson  to 
Haverstraw  and  on  to  headquarters.  A  court 
of  fourteen  o^eneral  officers  was  ordered  to  sit 


308  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  hear  the  ease.  On  the  29th,  General 
Greene,  the  president  of  the  court,  reported 
to  the  Commander-in-chief  that  they  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  Major  Andre  ought  to 
be  considered  as  a  spy  from  the  enemy  ;  that 
agreeably  to  the  law  and  usages  of  nations,  in 
their  opinion  he  ought  to  suffer  death.  The 
next  day,  General  Washington  approved  the 
finding,  and  ordered  that  the  execution  should 
take  place  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on 
October  the  1st." 

The  narrator  lingered  for  breath.  Desire 
and  Lois  did  not  take  their  eyes  from  his  face. 

"  A  vast  concourse  of  people  assembled  to 
witness  the  solemn  scene,  but  the  execution 
was  postponed  in  consequence  of  a  flag  having 
arrived  from  the  enemy ;  but  no  satisfactory 
proposition  was  received,  and  the  next  day 
was  named  for  the  execution." 

There  was  another  pause,  longer  than  the 
previous  ones.  Major  Tallmadge  was  en- 
deavoring to  control  his  feehngs. 

"  He  was  in  truth  a  most  elegant  and  ac- 
complished gentleman.  It  may  sound  strange 
in  your  ears  when  I  repeat  it,  ladies ;  but  I 
say  it,  with  God  as  my  witness,  that  for  the 
few  days  of  intimate  intercourse  I  had  with 
him,  which  was  from  the  time  of  his  being 


MAJOR   TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE    309 

brought  back  to  our  headquarters  to  the  day 
of  his  execution,  I  became  so  deeply  attached 
to  Major  Andre  that  I  can  remember  no 
instance  where  my  affections  were  so  fully 
absorbed  in  any  man."  Tears  filled  the  eyes 
of  Major  Tallmadge,  while  his  voice  trembled. 

"  After  he  was  informed  of  his  sentence,  he 
wrote  a  touching  and  finished  letter  to  Wash- 
ington, requesting  that  the  mode  of  death 
might  be  adapted  to  the  feelings  of  a  man  of 
honor,  but  his  request  could  not  be  granted. 
I  walked  with  him  to  the  place  of  execution, 
and  never  discovered  any  evidence  of  fear. 
When  he  came  in  sight  of  the  gibbet,"  — 
Major  Tallmadge  again  stopped,  and,  lifting 
his  hand  to  his  eyes,  seemed  trying  to  shut 
out  the  awful  vision,  —  "  he  appeared  to  be 
startled,  and  inquired  with  some  emotion 
whether  he  was  not  to  be  shot.  Beino^  in- 
formed  that  the  mode  first  appointed  for  his 
death  could  not  be  consistently  altered,  he 
exclaimed,  '  How  hard  is  my  fate !  '  but 
immediately  added,  '  It  will  soon  be  over.' 
Brave,  ingenuous  soul !  I  then  shook  hands 
with  him  under  the  gallows  and  retired." 

Was  Major  Tallmadge  morbid  and  dis- 
traught that  he  told  this  tragic  incident  to 
Desire  and  Lois  Hardy  ?     Was  the  horror  of 


310  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

it  a  burden  that  lie  must  share  with  these 
lofty  patriotic  spirits  ? 

"  When  I  saw  him  swinging  under  the  gib- 
bet/' he  continued,  with  husky  voice  and 
quivering  lips,  "  it  seemed  for  a  time  as  if  I 
could  not  support  it.  Oh,  the  agony  of  that 
moment  !  The  spectators  were  overwhelmed. 
There  was  not  a  hardened  or  indifferent  one 
in  all  the  multitude.  May  I  never  look  upon 
the  like  again  !  May  God  preserve  from  such 
a  fate  any  great  soul  know^n  to  me !  "  The 
soldier  groaned  in  bitterness  and  horror. 

A  spasm  of  sharp  pain  darted  across  the 
face  of  Desire,  while  Lois  we2)t  in  terror  and 
sympathy.  A  moment  passed,  wdien  Major 
Tallmadge  leaned  his  aching  head  upon  his 
hand.  Then  he  seemed  to  shake  himself  free 
of  the  gloom,  the  hideous  memory,  the  awful 
sorrow  of  the  occasion.  The  telling  of  it  had 
relieved  bim.  A  new  light  came  into  his  face, 
and  he  gazed  questioningly  at  Desire  Hardy. 

"  It  is  like  a  nightmare,"  she  observed. 
"  It  takes  one  back  to  our  friend,  Nathan 
Hale.  I  thank  God  that  in  the  necessities  of 
this  terrible  circumstance  Major  Andre  was 
well  treated,  and  all  possible  done  to  mitigate 
his  sufferino\" 

"  They  did  n't  treat  Captain  Hale  that  way, 


MAJOR    TALLMADGE  AND  MAJOR  ANDRE    311 

did  they?"  cried  Lois,  grateful  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  say  something  in  order  to  relieve 
the  tension  of  her  mind.  "  I  remember  how 
the  infuriated  English  officers  cried,  '  Swing 
the  rebel  up  !  Swing  the  rebel  up  ! '  It  makes 
my  blood  boil  with  indignation.  I  feel  like 
saying  all  the  imprecatory  psalms." 

"  And  yet,"  observed  Desire,  with  quiet 
manner  and  measured  words,  "  a  patriot  would 
even  die  for  one's  country  on  the  gibbet,  if 
needs  be." 

There  was  a  deathlike  stillness  in  the  room, 
Major  Tallmadge  being  the  first  to  break  it. 

"  I  ask  no  friend  of  mine  to  run  the  risk  of 
an  ignominious  death  like  that  of  the  lowest 
criminal  in  order  to  aid  me  in  any  campaign. 
It  is  brave  beyond  words,  but  I  dare  not  pre- 
fer such  a  request."  There  was  an  air  of 
warninof-  and  determination  about  him  that 
went  further  than  anything  he  might  say. 

"  Major  Tallmadge,  I  bethink  me  that  our 
blessed  Lord  died  the  most  shameful  and 
iniquitous  of  all  deaths.  Shall  we  refuse  to 
follow  in  his  footsteps  when  it  is  the  will  of 
Heaven  ?  " 

"  I  perceive,"  said  the  soldier,  with  awe  and 
reverence,  "  that  the  spirit  of  the  martyrs  is 
abroad  in  our  beloved  land.  America  shall 
be  free  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXII 

DESIRE    ON    THE    MOUNT    OF   VISION 

The  ethics  of  the  Secret  Service  was  often 
discussed  in  the  Hardy  family,  for  there  was 
diversity  of  opinion  on  the  subject.  Colonel 
Burr  had  observed  in  one  of  his  serious  moods 
that  all  was  fair  in  war.  When  it  came  to  a 
question  of  advantage  over  the  enemies  of 
one's  country,  the  patriot  might  resort  to 
whatever  ruse  or  deceit  he  pleased. 

David  had  combated  this  position,  saying 
that  while  ambuscades  and  strategy  were 
legitimate,  anything  that  reflected  upon  per- 
sonal honor  was  unpardonable.  A  man  might 
go  into  the  enemy's  camp  as  Captain  Hale 
did,  and  get  all  the  information  possible. 
That  was  taking  great  risks,  but  it  involved 
nothing  that  was  inherently  against  con- 
science ;  but  when  a  man,  professedly  the 
friend  of  a  people,  was  ail  the  time  plotting 
against  them,  making  his  associations  one 
means  of  foul  betrayal,  David  contended  that 
his  course  ought  to  put  him  beyond  the  pale 
of  respectable  society. 


DESIRE  ON   THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION       313 

It  was  hard  to  draw  the  line. 

"  I  cannot  see  how  an  honorable  man  such 
as  I  take  Major  Andre  to  have  been  could 
have  entered  into  negotiations  with  a  traitor 
like  Benedict  Arnold,"  observed  David  on  the 
morning  that  followed  the  visit  of  Major 
Tallmadge. 

"  Well,  David,  I  think  your  sense  of  honor 
is  too  keen.  Major  Andre  believed  that  he 
was  in  the  right,  and  that  the  rebels  (as  they 
call  us)  ought  to  be  subdued  and  brought 
back  in  allegiance  to  the  king.  He  was  con- 
summating a  bargain  by  which  a  supposed 
misguided  American  was  to  be  won  over  to 
the  side  of  his  rightful  sovereign,  put  in  a 
position  where  he  would  help  speedily  to 
bring  all  of  us  to  our  senses,  and  hasten  on 
the  war  to  its  end.  I  don't  see  that  Major 
Andre  is  to  be  blamed.  The  renegade  Arnold 
was  the  man  of  base  mind  and  conduct." 

Desire  spoke  with  clear  and  definite  convic- 
tion. Long  months  had  she  reflected  upon 
the  various  phases  of  experience  suggested  by 
the  example  of  Nathan  Hale  and  other  men 
engaged  in  the  like  service. 

"  Well,  it  is  very  perplexing  to  me,"  an- 
swered the  brother.  "  I  don't  think  I  would 
ever  hesitate  to  penetrate  into  the  enemy's 


314  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

camp,  get  all  the  information  possible,  do 
what  I  was  able  to  do  in  order  to  bring  con- 
fusion upon  them  j  but  when  it  comes  to  deal- 
ing with  traitors,  or  betraying  the  confidence 
of  friends,  I  declare  myself  to  be  unequivo- 
cally ojDposed  to  it." 

"I  think  that  is  Duane's  opinion  too,"  said 
Desire.  "  I  have  heard  him  say  many  times 
that  while  a  man  undoubtedly  will  be  able  to 
learn  more  or  less  concernino^  the  state  of 
things  in  an  enemy's  camp  by  sim23ly  keep- 
ing his  ears  open  and  his  mouth  shut,  yet  he 
has  no  right  to  betray  friendship,  or  resort 
to  other  dishonorable  means." 

"  I  suppose  the  difficulty  will  lie  in  the 
ideas  of  different  individuals.  One  man  would 
esteem  one  thing  honorable,  and  another 
would  stamp  it  on  the  instant  as  dishonorable. 
Conscience  is  a  curious  faculty,  and  I  would 
sooner  rely  upon  the  judgment  of  the  aver- 
age child  than  on  that  of  the  majority  of 
men,  when  it  comes  to  the  matter  of  deceit 
or  evasion." 

"  David,"  replied  his  sister,  "  I  've  been 
studying  the  wars  of  Israel.  God  will  make 
the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  Him.  The  Old 
Testament  worthies  adopted  measures  that 
seem  harsh  and  cruel ;  but  don't  you  find  the 


DESIRE  ON   THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION        315 

same  thing  all  through  life  ?  Is  n't  sickness 
or  accident  sometimes  a  dreadful  thing? 
We  '11  try  to  find  out  what  is  right,  and  then 
do  it ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  there  are  times 
when  the  right  means  the  doing  of  things 
that  are  an  awful  strain  upon  body  and  soul, 
reason  and  affection." 

The  three  or  four  days  that  passed  after 
the  story  of  Andre  was  told  by  Major  Tall- 
madge  fostered  a  spirit  of  unrest  in  the  Hardy 
household.  David  was  more  absent-minded 
than  ever,  revolving  over  and  over  his  tragic 
case,  and  searching  history  for  any  parallel 
incident,  consulting  philosophy  and  litera- 
ture for  problems  in  casuistry,  growing  more 
troubled  and  perplexed  the  further  he  pushed 
his  investigations. 

Duane  was  not  as  well ;  his  wounds  and 
bruises  began  to  annoy  him  again ;  he  was 
nervous  and  fretful.  So  bold  and  careless 
had  he  become  that  on  several  occasions  neigh- 
bors had  had  their  suspicions  aroused,  and  put 
embarrassing  questions  to  Chloe  and  Minto. 

But  the  greatest  change  was  observable  in 
Desire.  Her  mind  dwelt  on  Hale  and  Andre. 
She  spoke  with  enthusiasm  concerning  their 
willingness  to  serve  the  cause  they  loved, 
even  when  they  knew  that  possible  disgrace 


316  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

and  contumely  might  become  their  lot.  In 
her  talks  with  Diiane,  a  line  of  conduct  had 
been  distinctly  indicated  and  agreed  to.  They 
were  one  in  their  views  as  to  the  rights  and 
the  wrongs  of  secret  service.  The  man  en- 
gaged in  such  a  perilous  undertaking  might 
proceed  with  pure  heart  and  clean  conscience 
unto  certain  well-defined  limits.  Passing  said 
line,  he  involved  himself  in  moral  obliquity. 

All  the  inmates  in  the  home  noted  the 
change  in  Desire.  The  first  thought  was  that 
perchance  the  shadow  of  Andre's  death  was 
upon  her,  for  a  strange,  inexplicable  serious- 
ness marked  every  mood  and  action.  Later, 
a  certain  grand,  exalted  manner  manifested 
itself,  so  that,  all  unconscious  to  Desire,  a 
barrier  was  separating  her  from  the  other 
members  of  the  household. 

She  had  many  things  to  say  concerning 
love  of  country,  and  they  were  said  in  a  way 
to  thrill  one's  heart.  She  pictured  that  which 
in  her  imagination  she  conceived  this  land 
must  become  with  the  help  of  time  and  favor- 
ins"  circumstances.  The  names  of  ancient 
heroes  were  upon  her  lips,  and  she  recited 
their  achievements  with  natural  eloquence. 
When  neighbors  spoke  upon  the  darkness 
which  enshrouded  the  country  after  the  treach- 


BESIBE  ON   THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION       317 

ery  of  Arnold,  she  cheered  them  with  her 
noble  faith,  and  infused  a  new  spirit  of  confi- 
dence and  sacrifice  into  their  circle.  Meeting 
with  the  men  who  had  put  everything  into 
the  struggle,  and  whose  hopes  of  life  centred 
in  the  independence  of  the  States,  she  en- 
couraged them  with  beautiful  prophecies  of 
speedy  peace,  returning  prosperity,  and  sub- 
lime achievement,  in  which  all  the  nations  of 
the  world  must  ultimately  rejoice.  Her  mood 
was  not  so  much  one  of  patriotic  fervor  as 
that  of  moral  grandeur  and  seer-like  inspira- 
tion. 

"  I  'se  afraid  to  touch  her,"  whispered 
Chloe  to  Duane.  "  She  be  livin'  wid  de 
angels  in  de  clouds." 

"  David,"  said  his  cousin,  with  deep  con- 
cern, "methinks  Desire  has  climbed  some 
mount  of  vision.  I  am  distressed  to  think 
what  might  happen  to  her  in  case  the  patriots 
suffer  defeat." 

"  Duane,  have  no  fears  on  that  score."  The 
suggestion  had  aroused  David  from  his  grow- 
ing absorption  in  the  purely  speculative. 
"  America  will  have  her  freedom  ;  and  De- 
sire —  why,  she 's  heart  and  soul  in  the 
struggle,  a  better  patriot  than  two  thirds  the 
men  in  the  field,  a  clear-visioned  spirit  that 


318  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

gains  more  by  intuition  and  foresight  than  nine 
tenths  of  men  ever  get  by  study  and  experi- 
ence. Duane,  she  ought  to  have  been  a  man. 
She  'd  have  made  her  mark  in  this  conflict. 
She  's  got  the  intelligence  and  acumen  of  the 
best  scholar  in  politics  you  can  find ;  she 's 
sound  on  every  question  of  state  ;  she 's  a 
natural  leader  and  inspirer  of  men ;  she 's 
ready  to  give  life  itself  for  the  sake  of  coun- 
try. A  thousand  times  I  Ve  wished  she  was 
a  man  so  that  she  might  serve  the  cause  to 
best  advantao^e." 

There  was  a  glow  of  unstinted  love  and  ap- 
preciation in  the  countenance  of  the  speaker. 
It  was  the  sweet,  spontaneous  tribute  of  a 
brother  to  one  dearer  to  him  than  life  itself. 

"  I  've  never  regretted  that  I  was  a  man, 
Duane/'  he  continued,  "  but  how  I  have 
wished  that  Desire  could  have  had  my  chances! 
There  's  Tallmadge  and  Burr  and  Hamilton 
and  half  a  dozen  other  bright  young  men 
that  would  have  been  distanced  by  her  long 
ago  ;  and  here  the  child  stays  tied  down  by 
narrow  circumstances  and  her  sex.  It 's  one 
of  the  inscrutable  things  of  this  most  puzzling 
and  inexplicable  world." 

"  Ah,  David,"  answered  his  cousin,  with  in- 
finite yearnings  and   outreachings  betraying 


DESIRE  ON   THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION        319 

themselves  to  any  ears  save  dull  ones  like  Da- 
vid's, "  I  thank  God  that  Desire  is  what  she 
is.  She  's  doing  well  enough.  By  and  by  the 
good  Lord  will  open  the  way  for  her,  and 
she  '11  do  greater  things.  But  to  my  mind, 
young  man,  the  woman  who  makes  a  home, 
and  brings  under  her  sway  the  needy  world, 
is  a  person  doing  quite  as  much  for  men  as 
some  gay  coxcomb  of  an  Aaron  Burr." 

David  looked  with  wide-extended  eyes  into 
the  face  of  his  cousin.  Why  did  the  invalid 
show  such  heat  and  passion  ? 

The  faithfulness  of  Desire  in  the  home  was 
like  the  service  of  sunshine  and  shower,  — 
one  took  it  in  the  course  of  nature  and  made 
no  comments. 

But  this  extraordinary,  vitalizing  patriotism 
was  something  to  be  remarked  and  exalted. 
It  transformed  the  woman  into  a  kind  of  god- 
dess. David  loyally  elevated  his  sister  to  this 
unique  pedestal.  He  had  ceased  to  think  of 
her  as  one  submitting  to  the  common  homage 
of  love,  or  yielding  to  any  witchery  of  men. 

"  Duane,"  said  his  cousin  severely,  "  De- 
sire has  long  ago  risen  above  the  ordinary 
passions  of  a  woman's  heart.  I  suppose  she 
does  love  her  family,  but  her  passion  is  the 
passion  of  a  patriot."     His  frame  swelled  with 


320  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

pride,  as  he  uttered  the  words.  "  I  believe 
she'd  like  to  die  for  America;  and  now  we 
are  speaking  upon  the  subjeetj  that  must  be 
the  matter  with  her,  these  days  since  Tall- 
madge  was  here.  Did  you  ever  see  such 
faith  ?  Why,  Duane,  you  must  have  a  heart 
of  stone  not  to  be  won  by  it  and  join  the 
patriots  in  their  struggle.  I  'm  glad  to  have 
you  with  us,  and  you  know  how  much  we  all 
love  you;  but  it  passes  my  understanding 
that  you  can  see  the  suffering  inflicted  upon 
these  colonies,  and  come  into  contact  with  such 
a  glorious  lover  of  country  as  Desire,  and  not 
be  moved  to  cast  in  your  lot  with  us." 

Duane  made  no  answer,  and  David  left  the 
room. 

There  was  an  atmosphere  of  suppressed  ex- 
citement in  the  home  the  ensuing  day.  The 
face  of  Desire  glowed  with  a  light  that  seemed 
preternatural.  Her  voice  was  low  and  sweet, 
but  every  word  which  she  spoke  was  sur- 
charged with  feeling.  Little  opportunity  was 
given  for  conversation,  since  every  member  of 
the  household  was  intent  upon  some  necessary 
task.  Even  the  invalid  was  allowed  to  help, 
in  order  to  pass  away  the  time,  although  his 
face  expressed  dissent  and  wretchedness.  The 
unwonted  activity  was  a  prelude  to  succeeding 


DESIRE  ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION        321 

days  of  quiet,  for  it  had  been  decided  that 
Lois  and  Chloe  were  to  take  charge  of  Duane 
and  the  home,  while  the  other  members  of 
the  family  made  a  brief  excursion  into  the 
country.  It  was  not  an  unusual  thing  for  the 
young  folks  to  go  to  Hartford,  New  Haven, 
or  Waterbury.  They  had  friends  in  all  these 
towns.  And  when  one  went  away  during 
troublous  times,  it  was  not  expected  that  his 
business  or  pleasure  would  be  noised  abroad 
through  the  neighborhood ;  so  the  young 
travelers  quietly  took  their  leave. 

Never  did  Washington  feel  greater  need 
for  secret  intelligence  in  respect  to  the  con- 
dition and  purposes  of  the  enemy.  If  it  m 
always  darkest  before  day,  there  might  have 
been  assurance  in  the  heart  of  many  a  patriot 
that  the  day  was  at  hand,  for  public  affairs 
and  private  inclinations  foreboded  dire  evil. 
The  Commander-in-chief  was  alive  to  the  sit- 
uation, and  every  nerve  was  strained  to  meet 
the  threatened  disintegration. 

In  his  management  of  the  Secret  Service, 
Major  Tallmadge  had  resorted  to  a  variety  of 
means  and  ao;ents.  He  met  some  of  the  men 
engaged  in  this  perilous  business  and  gave 
them  personal  orders.  There  were  other  indi- 
viduals unknown  to  him,  who  did  their  work 


322  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

as  they  chose,  and  made  their  reports  in 
writing  or  through  some  confidential  go- 
between. 

A  large  portion  of  the  intelligence  received 
by  the  way  of  Fairfield  came  from  a  patriot 
whose  identity  was  hidden  beyond  the  possi- 
bility of  disclosure.  Major  Tallmadge  did 
not  wish  to  know  the  individual.  It  was 
enough  for  him  and  for  Washington  that  a 
mutual  friend  vouched  for  the  absolute  fidelity 
of  the  person,  and  that  the  revelations  com- 
ing through  this  channel  had  always  proved 
correct  and  valuable. 

One  thing  in  connection  with  this  particu- 
lar agent  had  been  mentioned ;  namely,  that 
the  letters  or  documents  generally  passed 
through  several  hands  in  their  transmission 
from  New  York  to  Fairfield ;  it  was  in  con- 
nection with  the  bringing  of  these  missives 
that  a  whaleboat  had  been  kept  for  the  ser- 
vice of  Major  Tallmadge  in  Black  Rock  har- 
bor. The  city  agent  was  supposed  to  be  a 
gentleman  who  did  not  find  it  possible  to 
leave  home,  and  was  therefore  forced  to  rely 
upon  confederates.  The  letters  were  generally 
in  cipher,  although  invisible  ink  was  used  a 
part  of  the  time,  so  that  when  Governor 
Tryon  blundered  into  the  finding  of  two  or 


DESIRE  ON   THE  MOUNT  OF  VISION        323 

three  precious  letters,  he  was  none  the  wiser, 
never  discovering  the  key  to  the  smooth-read- 
ing epistles  that  provoked  his  curiosity. 

Occasionally,  these  letters  passed  as  commu- 
nications between  lovers.  A  cursory  glance 
over  them  led  one  to  infer  that  he  had 
stumbled  upon  some  clandestine  love  corre- 
spondence. Great  was  the  amusement  of  the 
Commander-in-chief  and  those  admitted  to 
his  confidence  when  these  ardent,  beautifully 
phrased  epistles  were  read.  The  person  who 
devised  them  must  have  been  not  only  shrewd 
and  highly  imaginative,  but  one  thoroughly 
versed  in  affairs  of  the  heart.  There  was  a 
ring  and  air  of  genuine  love-making  in  them 
that  often  startled  Washington.  Could  that 
sort  of  thing  be  simulated  so  tenderly,  natu- 
rally, in  order  to  carry  secret  intelligence  to 
the  patriots  ?  Certain  words  and  letters  in 
certain  relations  conveyed  the  news  which  was 
designed  for  the  help  of  the  American  army ; 
but  in  construing  this  deftly  concealed  mes- 
sage, many  a  time  did  the  chief  and  his  assist- 
ants pause  to  note  the  delicate  sentiment,  the 
noble  spirit,  manifest  on  the  surface  of  the 
writing. 

"  The  ladies  are  our  stanchest  soldiers," 
said  Major  Tallmadge  to  Washington,  after 


324  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

reading  one  of  these  interesting  epistles. 
"  They  not  only  have  to  fight  the  battle  at 
home,  but  they  must  nerve  their  husbands, 
sons,  and  lovers  to  fight  in  the  field  abroad." 
"  We  are  great  debtors  to  the  fair  sex," 
answered  the  general.  "  Their  patriotism  is 
indeed  our  stay  and  inspiration." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

IN    THREE    PLACES    AT    THE    SAME    TIME 

The  •  achievements  of  the  women  during 
the  struggle  for  American  independence  is 
a  theme  for  some  future  historian.  When  a 
Georgia  giantess  was  put  in  charge  of  the  fort 
which  sheltered  all  the  women  and  children 
of  her  neighborhood,  during  the  absence  of 
the  patriots  engaged  in  a  distant  skirmish, 
the  redcoats  arranged  for  an  assault,  think- 
ing to  find  the  fort  an  easy  conquest.  This 
woman  donned  the  uniform  of  an  officer,  bade 
the  other  women  clothe  themselves  in  male 
attire,  distributed  them  in  conspicuous  places 
along  the  works,  put  the  cannon  into  action, 
and  when  the  enemy  approached  opened  fire. 
Then  the  royal  troops,  discovering  that  the 
fort  was  garrisoned,  withdrew.  This  giantess 
represented  the  indomitable  courage  and  fidel- 
ity of  her  sex. 

Desire  Hardy  gloried  in  the  devotion  to 
liberty  observed  among  her  compatriots,  and 
every  incident  of  war  shared  by  womankind 


326  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

was  a  fresh  incentive.  What  zeal  and  pa- 
tience, what  energy  and  shrewdness,  what  con- 
secration and  sacrifice,  marked  their  course ! 
Working  in  the  fields,  melting  pewter  into 
bullets,  feeding  and  clothing  the  men,  play- 
ing the  part  of  messengers,  carrying  a  mus- 
ket when  necessary,  taking  care  of  the  sick, 
editing  and  printing  newspapers,  arresting  an 
army,  as  did  Mrs.  Murray,  in  New  York, 
working  as  Daughters  of  Liberty  to  teach 
and  defend  the  great  principles  at  stake, 
denying  themselves  all  luxuries  and  many 
necessaries  of  life  with  sweet  composure,  — 
the  record  is  matchless.  "  Our  ambition  is 
kindled  by  the  fame  of  ancient  heroines," 
said  one  of  these  great  souls  to  Desire. 
"  We  should  at  least  equal  them,  and  some- 
times surpass  them,  in  our  love  for  the  pub- 
lic good."  Miriam,  Deborah,  Esther,  Judith, 
the  mother  of  the  Maccabees,  were  all  famil- 
iar to  the  thought  of  Desire  Hardy. 

She  read  about  the  siege  of  Fort  Henry, 
Virginia,  in  1777,  when  savages  assailed  the 
little  company  of  patriots.  The  powder  being 
suddenly  exhausted,  Elizabeth  Zane  arose  in 
her  streno'th  and  ran  the  twelve  rods  to  the 
powder  house  and  brought  back  into  the  fort 
a  keg  of  the  precious  stufP,  thus  saving  the 


IN  THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME    327 

garrison.  She  talked  about  Catherine  Green, 
of  Rhode  Island,  who  gave  up  her  beautiful 
home  for  a  hospital  when  smallpox  scourged 
the  army  in  that  State ;  the  ladies  of  Phila- 
delphia, who  ministered  with  unstinted  gen- 
erosity to  the  suffering  patriots  during  the 
campaigns  in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania ; 
the  maiden  who  carried  a  message  across 
country,  and  when  arrested  and  put  in  the 
guard-house,  swallowed  the  precious  paper  ; 
Dame  Batherick  taking  her  redcoat  prisoners 
at  Lexington  ;  Esther  Gaston  shaming  some 
runaway  men,  saying,  "  Give  us  your  guns, 
then,  and  we  will  stand  in  your  places." 

Desire  was  familiar  with  these  incidents 
and  hundreds  of  others.  They  all  served  as 
fuel  added  to  the  volcanic  fire  of  her  pas- 
sionate nature.  When  she  said  good-by  to 
Duane  and  Lois,  they  were  hushed  into  the 
most  quiet  and  commonplace  words  of  fare- 
well. It  is  true  that  they  were  puzzled 
respecting  her  absence.  Desire  said  that  she 
had  work  to  do  which  called  her  away  from 
home.  They  must  trust  her  and  bide  the 
time  of  a  return.  There  was  a  loftiness  of 
mien,  a  concentration  and  consecration  of  pur- 
pose evident,  a  greatness  of  soul  that  brooked 
no  restraint.     It  was  the  culmination  of  that 


328  AN  UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

masterful  enthusiasm  which  had  done  so  much 
to  inspire  people  and  shape  the  course  of 
events  in  her  narrow  sphere. 

It  was  four  o'clock  of  a  bright,  gorgeous 
October  afternoon  that  a  gentleman  dis- 
mounted before  the  door  of  Tryon  Hall,  the 
home  of  Judge  Jones  on  Long  Island.  This 
was  the  fortunate,  or  unfortunate,  hour  when 
the  judge  and  his  lady  had  been  accustomed 
to  enjoy  their  outdoor  airing. 

"Ah,  Mas'r  Livingstone,  it  be  you,  is  it?" 
observed  the  slave  that  hastened  to  hold  the 
bridle  of  the  young  man's  horse  while  he  dis- 
mounted and  made  known  his  errand.  "  De 
jedge  and  lady  am  a-walkin'  in  de  woods." 

"  Ah,"  said  the  gentleman,  "  I  shall  not 
see  them,  then,  for  I  must  hasten  on  to  meet 
a  comrade  with  whom  I  am  traveling.  Any 
letters  or  packets,  Sambo  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah,"  was  the  reply,  "  I  'se  got  a  lot 
ob  'em." 

"  Bring  them  to  me.  Sambo,  and  there  's  a 
piece  of  silver  for  your  pains.  I  '11  look  after 
my  charger,"  continued  the  gentleman,  with 
a  peculiar  twinkle  in  his  eyes. 

The  letters  and  packets  were  speedily  de- 
livered and  tucked  away  in  various  pockets, 
some  every-day  remarks  made  concerning  the 


IN   THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME     329 

day  and  the  family,  and  away  sped  the  gentle- 
man on  his  journey  to  New  York. 

"  Give  your  master  and  mistress  my  com- 
pliments, and  say  that  I  hope  to  pass  this  way 
again  before  a  month  is  gone,"  was  the  part- 
ing word. 

"  Seems  like  he  be  in  an  awful  hurry," 
grumbled  Sambo,  who  was  fond  of  Mr.  Duane 
Livingstone.  "  If  de  gem'man  go  to  New 
Yo'k,  he  might  trabel  wid  Mas'r  Spaldin'. 
I  heard  'im  say  he  be  goin'  to  de  city  too." 

But  the  gentleman  evidently  had  more  con- 
genial company  in  view  than  Mr.  Sherwood 
Spalding,  judging  from  the  pleased  expres- 
sion on  his  face  as  he  departed  from  the  pre- 
cincts of  Tryon  Hall. 

On  the  same  evening,  two  or  three  hours 
later,  Lois  Hardy  and  Duane  Livingstone 
might  have  been  seen  taking  a  walk  over 
Round  HiU. 

"  I  've  been  shut  up  in  this  place  about 
as  long  as  a  human  being  can  stand  it,"  ob- 
served the  young  man  to  his  cousin,  when  the 
shades  of  evening  fell.  "  Lois,  let 's  take  a 
walk.  I  '11  put  on  that  suit  I  gave  David 
last  summer.  He  's  been  wearing  it  lately, 
and  if  anybody  asks  questions,  you  say 
David  has  returned  for  the  night  and  must 


330  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

go  away  again  iu  the  morning.  That 's  easy 
enough  to  do.  You  see  I  'm  dying  for  fresh 
air  and  exercise." 

Both  Lois  and  Duane  had  their  absent 
ones  in  mind.  The  harmless  diversion  of  an 
evening  walk  might  help  to  lessen  anxiety, 
although  it  was  contrary  to  the  orders  of 
Desire  for  the  young  man  to  leave  the  prem- 
ises, or  show  himself  to  a  person  beyond  their 
home  circle.  But  the  temptation  was  great, 
and  the  objections  or  perils  seemed  trivial. 

It  was  a  calm,  delicious  air,  odors  of  wild 
grapes  diffusing  themselves  over  the  hillside. 
Never  did  life  seem  more  precious  or  beauti- 
ful. The  tonic  of  October  weather  imparted 
something  of  healthful  impulse  to  the  young 
man.  The  sense  of  freedom  made  his  pulse 
beat  faster.  Then  he  grew  vexed  to  think 
that  he  had  remained  in  Fairfield  while 
Desire  mayhap  was  needing  his  protection  or 
restraint.  And  while  they  were  walking  along 
the  crest  of  the  hill,  whom  should  they  hear 
through  the  grateful,  deepening  night  but 
Major  Tallmadge. 

"  Now,"  said  Lois,  "  we  must  return  straight 
home.  He  '11  be  wanting  to  see  David  and  De- 
sire, and  you  '11  have  to  stay  in  the  barn  until 
I  send  Chloe  to  bring  you  into  the  house." 


IN  THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME     331 

"  Where  's  David  ?  "  asked  the  major, 
when  Lois  admitted  him  to  the  unfinished 
dwelKng,  "  and  your  sister  ?  " 

"  They  are  visiting,  and  I  don't  know  when 
they  '11  return,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  caller  reflectively.  He 
sat  for  a  few  moments  talking  with  Lois, 
evidently  keeping  up  another  distinct  train 
of  thought,  not  making  himself  especially 
agreeable.  He  seemed  anxious  and  dis- 
turbed. 

"  And  you  don't  know  when  they  '11  be 
home  ?  "  he  repeated,  quite  as  much  to  him- 
self as  to  his  companion. 

"  No,"  she  said.  "  Desire  was  on  her  high 
horse  when  she  went  away.  She  acted  like 
one  transported  to  the  third  heaven,  if  you 
know  what  that  means.  I  should  think  from 
her  manner  that  she  expected  to  be  offered 
up  as  a  voluntary  sacrifice.  And  I  am  quite 
sure  that  she  'd  like  it.  Such  talk  as  we  have 
had  in  the  house  these  last  days  since  you 
were  here  I  never  heard  in  all  my  life. 
Desire  ought  to  have  been  a  general  or  a 
statesman.  She 's  got  patriotism  and  faith 
enough  for  a  whole  State." 

Major  Tallmadge  looked  more  anxious  and 
harassed  as  Lois  continued. 


332  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  I  must  go/'  he  said,  with  puzzling  con- 
straint in  his  manner. 

On  that  same  night,  the  servant  in  charge 
of  the  Livingstone  dwelHng  in  New  York  (a 
domicile  rented  since  the  great  fire,  and  in- 
habited chiefly  by  Duane  and  the  several 
slaves)  admitted  a  young  gentleman  and  his 
attendant. 

"  How  glad  I  is  to  see  you/'  said  the  do- 
mestic. "  You  's  bin  away  de  longes'  time/' 
and  he  hastened  to  usher  him  into  the  house 
and  follow  him  to  his  room.  "  We  's  'pared 
to  gib  you  a  hot  supper,  mas'r,"  the  ser- 
vant continued.  "You  mus'  be  done  gone 
sta'ved." 

"  No,  Jock,"  said  the  gentleman  quietly, 
^'  I  'm  tired  and  sleepy,  and  I  must  keep  still 
all  day  to-morrow.  You  must  n't  tell  any- 
body that  I  'm  here.  My  business  is  private, 
and  I  shall  stay  in  my  room  most  of  the  time 
and  cannot  be  disturbed.  I  've  picked  up  a 
man  in  my  travels,"  —  the  speaker  pointed 
to  Minto,  —  "  he  '11  wait  on  me.  Take  him 
with  you  now,  and  send  me  any  letters  or 
packets  that  have  been  waiting." 

No  extra  lights  appeared  in  the  Living- 
stone headquarters  that  night,  and  had  the 
house  not  been  closely  watched  by  observers. 


IN   THBEE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME     333 

one  would  naturally  have  concluded  that  the 
occupants  of  it  still  remained  away. 

But  Sherwood  Spalding,  with  his  confed- 
erates, had  exercised  surveillance  over  the 
place  for  many  days.  The  Tory  refugee 
from  Fairfield  was  moved  not  so  much  by 
jealousy  as  distrust.  While  it  was  evident  to 
him  that  Duane  Livingstone  transacted  con- 
siderable business  and  amassed  no  mean  sums 
of  money,  yet  he  believed  that  the  young  man 
had  been  accustomed  to  take  a  surreptitious 
part  in  the  war,  and  that  such  a  service  was 
in  fact  the  chief  object  held  in  view. 

There  were  times  when  he  thought  that 
the  prosperous  fellow  was  a  secret  ally  of 
Tryon,  keeping  ostensibly  on  the  fence  in 
order  that  he  might  serve  the  royal  cause  to 
better  advantage ;  but  he  finally  reached  the 
conclusion  that  Duane  was  really  an  enemy  of 
the  king,  and  ought  to  be  suppressed.  Sher- 
wood Spalding  took  it  upon  himself  to  ferret 
out  the  secret  life  of  the  unsuspecting  young 
merchant,  and  bring  him  to  that  punishment 
which  he  was  convinced  Livingstone  deserved. 

During  the  weeks  that  his  victim  lay  on 
the  sick  bed  in  the  home  of  the  Hardys,  this 
watch  had  availed  nothing.  The  house  was 
untenanted  save  for  the  colored  care-takers. 


334  jln  unknown  patriot 

But  now,  at  last,  virtue  had  its  reward. 
Sherwood  had  seen  the  young  man  enter  the 
place.  He  proposed  to  face  him  down,  accuse 
him  of  his  duplicity,  then  hand  him  over  to 
the  proper  authorities. 

A  little  before  nine  o'clock  that  night, 
Spalding  crossed  over  the  street  and  rapped 
sharply  upon  the  door.  No  attention  was 
paid  to  the  caller.  He  repeated  his  loud 
summons.  Still  it  was  unanswered.  A  third 
time  he  plied  the  knocker.  At  length,  the 
ancient  serving-man  raised  a  window  on  the 
third  floor,  asking  what  was  wanted. 

"  Come  down  and  open  the  door,  you  black 
devil,"  answered  the  caller  angrily. 

"  Fo'ks  gone  away,"  croaked  Jock. 

"  You  lie  ! "  shouted  Mr.  Sherwood  Spal- 
ding. The  head  of  the  servant  slowly  disap- 
peared, and  the  window  was  put  down. 

The  insistent  caller  waited  a  brief  time, 
expecting  that  Jock  would  descend  and  un- 
fasten the  door,  but  no  sounds  of  footsteps 
greeted  his  listening  ears.  Becoming  impa- 
tient, he  pounded  upon  the  door,  making  the 
knocker  resound  through  the  house,  shaking 
the  very  front  of  the  establishment  in  his 
wrathful  vehemence.  But  there  came  no 
response  to  all  this  rudeness  and  commotion. 


IN   THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME    335 

"  I  '11  face  him,  if  I  have  to  climb  in  a  win- 
dow or  break  a  door  down,"  was  the  passion- 
ate exclamation  of  Spalding,  as  he  withdrew 
from  the  scene  and  called  his  associates  to  a 
hasty  council  of  war. 

''  I  know  he  's  there,  for  I  saw  him  enter ; 
he 's  afraid  to  meet  me,"  said  the  valiant 
refugee. 

"  Send  for  an  of&cer  and  half  a  dozen  men 
and  surround  the  house,"  counseled  one. 

"  Batter  down  a  door  and  rush  in  upon 
him  before  he  slips  away,"  said  another  ad- 
viser. 

"  Make  an  entrance  through  a  window 
quietly,  feel  your  way  to  his  room,  and  there 
have  it  out  with  him.  We  '11  be  on  the 
watch  to  see  that  he  does  not  have  a  chance 
to  escape." 

"  That 's  a  good  idea,"  answered  Spalding, 
after  a  moment's  deliberation.  "  I  know  his 
room.  There  's  an  easy  way  of  entrance  to 
it  from  a  trellis.  I  'm  in  for  it,  boys.  One 
of  you  watch  in  the  front,  and  the  other 
follow  me  to  the  rear  of  the  house."  And 
so  the  council  broke  up,  and  the  men  pro- 
ceeded to  action. 

Sherwood  Spalding  would  hardly  have  ven- 
tured upon  these   summary  measures  except 


836  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

that  he  was  positive  as  to  the  complicity  of 
Duane  Livingstone  in  certain  schemes  detri- 
mental to  the  royal  cause ;  he  felt  assured 
that  the  evidences  which  he  possessed  would 
be  sufficient  justification  of  his  course  when 
the  matter  was  brouo^ht  to  the  notice  of  Gen- 
eral  Tryon  or  other  officers  in  the  British 
army. 

His  men  were  placed  according  to  the  plan, 
and  Spalding  climbed  the  trellis,  which  reached 
to  the  second  floor  on  the  rear  of  the  house. 
It  was  a  hall  window  which  he  tried.  Through 
some  carelessness  of  the  servant,  it  had  been 
left  unfastened,  so  that  he  entered  without 
difficulty.  The  darkness  and  silence  within 
suggested  a  mistake  on  his  part.  Could  it 
be  possible  that  his  eyes  had  deceived  him, 
and  that  it  was  two  servants  he  saw  enter  the 
place  ?  Yet  he  was  ready  to  swear  that, 
through  the  dim  light  of  the  evening,  he 
detected  a  white  man,  Duane  Livingstone. 
There  could  be  no  doubt  that  he  was  in 
hiding.  Spalding  now  had  the  man  where 
he  could  lay  hands  on  him,  and  drag  him  to 
justice. 

Groping  stealthily  across  the  hall,  he  stood 
before  the  door  leadino^  into  his  victim's  room. 
He  lifted  the  latch ;  the  door  yielded  to  his 


IN  THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME     337 

touch.  A  candle  flickered  in  its  socket  on 
the  table.  The  fire  on  the  hearth  was  dying, 
so  that  it  did  Httle  to  drive  away  the  gloom 
of  the  place. 

Standing  by  the  door,  which  he  had  closed, 
Spalding  cast  his  eyes  over  the  room  in  search 
of  the  gentleman  whom  he  sought.  For  a 
moment,  it  appeared  that  the  intruder  was 
the  only  occupant  of  the  chamber ;  but  as  he 
peered  more  intently  through  the  dim  light 
of  the  apartment,  an  old  settle  against  the 
wall  took  shape  before  him,  and  —  he  started 
nervously  as  he  made  the  discovery  —  there 
was  a  cloaked  form  lying  stretched  upon  it. 

The  two  must  have  seen  each  other  on  the 
same  instant,  for  as  Spalding  spoke,  the  figure 
reclining  upon  the  settle  sprang  into  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room. 

"  Livino*stone,  I  've  come  to  settle  accounts 
with  you.  Don't  think  you  can  escape  me. 
I  Ve  been  on  the  watch  for  weeks,  and  my 
men  are  on  hand  to  do  king's  service.  And 
there 's  no  use  in  making  any  fuss  about  the 
thing.  I  know  you  are  a  sly  dog,  and  have 
pulled  the  wool  over  everybody's  eyes,  but 
we  've  got  you  this  time,  and  you  might  as 
well  throw  up  your  hands  and  give  in." 

It  was  quite  a  long  speech  which  the  Tory 


338  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

refugee  made,  and  Mr.  Duane  Livingstone 
seemed  deeply  impressed  by  it,  for  he  stood 
like  a  statue  during  its  hasty  recital.  Mr. 
Spalding  advanced  near  to  the  middle  of 
the  room  as  he  concluded  his  address,  and 
standing  face  to  face  with  the  cloaked  indi- 
vidual so  lately  resting  on  the  settle,  he  did 
not  observe  how  another  person  had  silently 
opened  the  door,  stepping  close  behind  him. 
Mr.  Duane  Livingstone  (if  this  be  he)  made 
no  reply  to  his  enemy's  speech,  but  simply 
lifted  his  arm,  and  motioned  as  though  he 
would  fell  him  to  the  floor.  How  it  was  that 
such  an  airy,  distant  gesture  (for  the  gentle- 
men were  still  two  or  three  feet  apart)  could 
produce  a  result  so  marked  and  effective  was 
never  explained  to  Mr.  Spalding,  but  it  suffices 
to  say  that  as  the  arm  was  swayed  back  and 
forth  in  one  swift  movement,  by  some  magic 
this  hound  after  human  game  dropped  speech- 
less and  unconscious  upon  the  floor. 

"  Hand  him  over  to  Jock,  Minto,"  was  the 
order  given  by  this  strange  antagonist.  "  We 
must  be  soon  going." 

"  0  Mas'r  Livingstone,"  exclaimed  Jock, 
when  the  silenced  housebreaker  was  given 
into  his  keeping,  "  what  shall  I  do  wid 
him  ?  " 


IN  THREE  PLACES  AT  THE  SAME  TIME    339 

"Let  him  go/'  said  Minto,  speaking  for 
the  master,  who  was  making  hurried  prepara- 
tions for  departure. 

In  five  minutes,  Mr.  Sherwood  Spalding 
was  left  in  possession  of  the  Livingstone 
house,  while  the  gentleman  he  had  faced  and 
threatened,  having  eluded  the  watchers,  was 
gone  on  a  journey. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A    PURSUIT    AND    A    SKIRMISH 

It  was  the  night  after  the  incident  related 
in  the  preceding  chapter  that  three  gentlemen 
might  have  been  observed  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Smith's  Manor,  at  a  point  where  the 
land  projected  into  the  South  Bay.  They 
did  not  appear  altogether  at  home,  and  their 
movements  would  have  been  regarded  as  sus- 
picious, had  any  Tory  followed  their  track. 
They  were  evidently  taking  bearings,  —  spy- 
ing out  the  land,  —  making  themselves  famil- 
iar with  the  situation. 

The  most  easterly  point  was  a  triangular 
inclosure  of  several  acres,  at  two  angles  of 
which  was  a  strong  barricade  house,  and  at 
the  third  a  fort,  with  deep  ditch  and  waU  en- 
circled by  an  abatis  of  sharpened  pickets,  pro- 
jecting at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees.  The 
fort  and  house  were  connected  by  a  strong 
stockade,  high,  every  post  being  sharpened, 
transverse  rails  bolted  together  holding  the 
pickets  and  making  a  strong  defense. 


A  PURSUIT  AND  A  SKIRMISH  341 

This  fort,  recently  completed,  was  the  de- 
pository of  stores,  dry  goods,  groceries,  and 
arms.  It  presented  a  formidable  appearance, 
being  of  peculiar  importance  for  the  reason 
that  all  Suffolk  County  could  be  easily  sup- 
plied with  provisions  and  the  munitions  of 
war  from  its  resources. 

Major  Tallmadge  had  known  that  Fort  St. 
George  was  an  objectionable  point  in  that 
part  of  the  Long  Island  landscape,  and  as  it 
drew  near  its  completion,  he  proposed  to 
General  Washington  that  he  be  permitted 
to  go  over  and  demolish  the  works ;  but  in- 
formation was  vague  and  inaccurate,  so  that 
the  Commander-in-chief  did  not  feel  he  was 
warranted  in  giving  his  consent  to  the  under- 
taking. 

The  three  strange  visitors  haunting  the 
neighborhood  were  in  quest  of  that  definite 
knowledge  which  would  serve  the  purposes  of 
Major  Tallmadge.  By  various  means  they 
procured  a  correct  draft  of  the  fort,  made  out 
an  exact  schedule  of  all  the  supplies,  learned 
the  size  of  the  garrison,  and  also  found  that 
there  was  a  large  quantity  of  hay  and  forage 
collected  by  the  enemy  at  Corum.  A  night 
and  day  were  consumed  in  gathering  these 
details.     The  following  night,  the  mysterious 


342  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

trio,  aided  by  well-paid  agents  among  tlie 
farmers  along  the  shore,  hastened  on  their 
way  to  the  rendezvous  near  Huntington. 

They  were  drawing  near  the  end  of  a  most 
perilous  and  important  expedition,  one  that 
had  been  surrounded  with  peculiar  difficulties, 
and  that  could  have  been  achieved  only  by 
consummate  craftiness  and  intrepidity.  It 
was  so  nigh  the  victorious  finale  that  vigi- 
lance had  been  relaxed,  and  they  ventured  to 
exchange  congratulations. 

"  How  thankful  we  shall  be,  once  safely  em- 
barked, speeding  our  way  across  the  Sound/' 
whispered  the  foremost  traveler. 

"Had  we  not  been  in  the  Lord's  keep- 
ing, we  should  long  ago  have  fallen  a  prey 
to  the  enemy,"  answered  the  second  of  the 
company. 

"De  Lo'd  be  praised  foh  his  mehcy,"  mut- 
tered the  hindmost  man.  Then  a  hush  fell 
upon  them,  as  they  forged  ahead  through 
swamp  and  forest,  open  field  and  bush-be- 
sprinkled pasture. 

The  night  was  keen  and  crisp,  frost  sting- 
ing the  face  and  nipping  the  fingers,  so  that 
the  trio  were  glad  to  step  lightly,  swiftly, 
impelled  by  quickened  beat  of  the  pulse  re- 
sponding to  the  subtle  tonic  of  the  air. 


A  PURSUIT  AND  A  SKIRMISH  343 

"  What  shall  we  do  in  case  the  boat  fails 
us?" 

^^  The  boat  will  be  on  hand/'  was  the  em- 
phatic reply. 

"  It  cannot  be  more  than  a  mile  or  two 
farther/'  whispered  the  first  speaker. 

^'  A  mile,  praise  de  Lo'd/'  croaked  the  rear 
guard. 

"  We  're  coming  to  that  marsh  studded  with 
underbrush.  How  I  hate  to  pass  through  it. 
I  feel  as  if  every  tuft  of  grass  or  old  log  was 
a  stealthy  Tory  lying  prone  so  that  I  might 
trip  over  him  and  fall  into  his  treacherous 
embrace." 

''  Hush! "  said  the  hindmost  traveler,  whose 
ears  seemed  preter naturally  keen.  They  had 
entered  the  swamp,  and  there  came  floating 
to  them  faint,  far-away  sounds  like  the  ad- 
vance of  a  small  troop  through  snapping, 
spiteful  brush. 

"  We  must  turn  back  and  skirt  this  ugly 
lot  and  make  for  the  woods  in  the  rear,"  said 
the  leader  of  the  party. 

Like  Indian  warriors  they  crouched  and 
crawled  along  their  path,  reaching  at  length 
the  black  shelter  of  the  trees.  Their  pro- 
gress would  have  been  undetected  except  that 
they  ran  afoul  of  a  dog,  whose  bark  rang  out 


344  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

discordantly  in  tlie  night.  It  did  not  take  a 
moment  to  pound  the  brute  into  the  silence 
of  death,  but  the  incident  drew  the  atten- 
tion of  their  pursuers  in  that  direction,  and 
indicated  that  the  game  had  finally  been 
tracked. 

It  was  a  wild  chase.  The  wearied  trio  at 
last  separated  in  the  fierce,  frantic  effort  to 
elude  their  hunters  and  reach  the  point  of 
embarkation.  In  a  few  moments,  the  woods 
and  the  country  round  seemed  alive  with 
troopers  flying  many  ways. 

The  fugitives  were  familiar  with  the  ground 
over  which  they  ran,  and  they  were  spurred 
to  superhuman  exertions  by  the  assurance 
that  when  they  reached  the  goal  assistance 
was  awaiting  them,  and  a  fair  chance  of 
escape  would  be  open. 

Sherwood  Spalding  had  been  very  busy 
since  his  adventure  in  the  Livingstone  house. 
The  fact  that  his  victim  had  slipped  through 
his  fingers  and  fled  the  city  was,  to  his  mind, 
the  final  incriminating  circumstance.  That 
Mr.  Duane  Livingstone  was  not  vindictive 
and  refrained  from  inflicting  severe  bodily 
injury  upon  him  went  for  nothing. 

No  sooner  had  the  Tory  refugee  returned 
to  consciousness,  and  been  allowed  to  with- 


A  PURSUIT  AND  A  SKIBMISH  345 

draw  peaceably  from  the  house  which  he  had 
entered  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  than  he  re- 
ported to  the  general  and  demanded  that  men 
be  sent  in  pursuit  of  Livingstone.  After  a 
day's  delay,  the  order  had  been  given,  and 
a  dozen  redcoats  went  beating  up  and  down 
the  north  shore  of  Long  Island.  Sherwood 
Spalding  accompanied  the  band,  and  was  the 
informing  spirit  of  the  adventure.  The  first 
trace  of  the  fugitives  was  gained  from  one  of 
the  soldiers  of  the  garrison  at  Fort  St.  George ; 
but  his  information  was  so  meagre  and  un- 
satisfactory that  it  did  little  except  to  confirm 
Spalding  in  his  opinion  that  Livingstone  must 
be  somewhere  along  the  shore  opposite  Stam- 
ford, Norwalk,  or  Fairfield,  watching  for  a 
boat  to  take  him  across  to  the  Connecticut 
side. 

It  was  not  until  the  tell-tale  barkino^  of  the 
dog  in  the  woods  that  Spalding  and  his  troop- 
ers had  any  reward  for  all  their  pains.  In  the 
dim  light  of  the  stars  they  observed  one  or 
two  shadowy  forms  shifting  hither  and  thither 
amid  the  trees.  It  was  not  long  before  the 
pursuit  waxed  hot. 

Off  the  shore  faintly  outlined  against  the 
eastern  horizon,  a  large  whaleboat  was  lying, 
every  man  in  his  place,  alert  and  watchful, 


346  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

eyes  turned  toward  Long  Island,  ears  open  to 
all  sounds  landward  and  seaward. 

"  What  is  that  ? "  whispered  the  captain 
eagerly  —  excitedly. 

"  The  report  of  a  musket,  sir/'  answered 
one  of  the  crew. 

"  And  there  is  a  second  and  a  third/'  ex- 
claimed several  husky  voices. 

"  And  I  hear  loud  shouting/'  said  another 
speaker. 

"  There 's  trouble  on  shore,  my  men/'  cried 
the  captain.  "  A  part  of  us  must  land  and 
be  ready  to  help." 

A  moment  passed,  and  twelve  sturdy  pa- 
triots, fully  armed,  stood  behind  a  rock  pro- 
jecting down  upon  the  beach.  A  short  dis- 
tance in  the  rear,  great  frowning  trees  towered 
above  them. 

"  There  comes  a  man  along  the  sand," 
whispered  one  of  the  boat's  crew. 

"  And  there  come  two  more  in  the  edge  of 
the  woods." 

"  And,  by  heavens  !  there  's  a  dozen  troop- 
ers in  pursuit.  Now  we  are  in  for  it.  Keep 
cool,  boys  !  "  muttered  the  captain.  "  Don't 
fire  till  I  give  the  word." 

The  next  two  or  three  minutes  of  intense 
anxiety  dragged  themselves  like  hours.     The 


A  PURSUIT  AND  A  SKIRMISH  347 

lone  man  on  the  beacli  was  racing  for  dear 
life,  and  two  were  in  wild  pursuit,  making 
evident  gain. 

"  When  those  hounds  get  within  shooting 
distance,  pick  'em  off/'  said  the  captain  to 
two  sharpshooters  standing  on  his  right. 
"  The  rest  of  us  will  attend  to  the  horde 
comino^  out  of  the  woods." 

Another  moment,  and  the  clash  of  arms, 
reverberation  of  muskets,  shouts,  cries,  groans, 
imprecations  filled  the  air  with  the  awful  din 
of  conflict.  A  moment  later,  and  the  two 
forces  were  grappling  with  each  other  in  a 
hand  to  hand  encounter,  and  all  was  confusion 
worse  confounded  ;  for  in  the  uncertain  light 
and  sudden  duel  of  men,  it  was  difficult  to 
dis  tin  Ornish  friend  from  foe. 

The  struggle  waged  fiercely  for  a  few  sec- 
onds, one  and  another  man  being  flung  aside 
dead  or  wounded.  Then  above  the  din  and 
turmoil  of  the  fight  the  voice  of  Spalding 
rano^  out  strong^  and  clear  :  — 

"  I  have  you  now,  my  man  "  —  blows  and 
metallic  impact  of  steel  upon  steel.  "  You  're 
fencing,  are  you,  how's  that?"  —  and  the 
stroke  of  a  sabre  resounded  far  and  wide. 
"  I  have  you  at  my  mercy,  Livingstone  "  — 
and  there  was  a  shot,  a  fall,  a  groan,  a  sudden 


348  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

awful  curse,  hoarse  and  vengeful,  wlien  Mr. 
Sherwood  Spalding,  who  had  been  doing  such 
valiant  work  upon  his  bold  yet  unaggressive 
antagonist,  felt  the  butt  end  of  a  musket 
touch  his  head,  and  on  the  instant  sank  be- 
neath the  crack  of  doom.  The  man  who 
wielded  the  blow  which  felled  Mr.  Spalding, 
did  not  stop  to  investigate  the  issue  of  his 
work ;  but  while  in  the  very  act  of  striking 
hissed  in  his  ears,  "  Dat  no  Mas'r  Livingstone, 
traitor,  dat  my  "  —  and  the  last  words  were 
running  hoarsely,  anguishfully  through  the 
Tory's  mind,  as  he  reeled  and  tumbled  in  a 
heap  on  the  ground. 

Minto  dropped  his  musket,  and,  clasping  in 
his  arms  the  limp  form  that  Spalding's  assault 
had  stretched  low,  ran  like  a  deer  for  the  boat, 
followed  quickly  by  the  companion  under 
whose  lead  he  had  made  a  part  of  that  me- 
morable niofht  march  across  the  island.  The 
fight  did  not  continue,  since  the  prime  mover 
in  the  pursuit  —  Mr.  Sherwood  Spalding  — 
was  sleeping  the  deep  sleep  from  which  there 
is  no  waking,  sharing  his  long  rest  with  several 
comrades  of  the  night.  The  cessation  of 
hostihties  came  by  swift  mutual  consent,  for 
while  the  remaining  redcoats  were  blundering 
through  the  darkness  in  search  of  the  foe. 


A  PURSUIT  AND  A  SKIRMISH  349 

often  mistaking  one  another  for  rebels,  deal- 
ing their  righteous  judgments  upon  unoffend- 
ing brethren,  the  patriots  had  retreated  to 
the  whaleboat  on  the  plaintive  cry  of  a  whip- 
poorwill  twice  repeated,  and  were  already 
cutting  the  waters  of  the  Sound  in  their  swift 
course  to  the  Connecticut  shore. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

AT   FORT    ST.    GEORGE 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  November  24:th 
that  Major  Tallmadge  called  at  the  Hardy 
place  to  report  upon  the  expedition  against 
Fort  St.  George.  Desire  was  reclining  on  a 
spacious  settle  drawn  up  in  front  of  the 
hearth  in  the  little  parlor,  now  converted  into 
a  sick  chamber.  For  more  than  a  week  she 
had  been  permitted  to  see  her  friends,  and 
the  doctor  said  that  she  mended  rapidly. 

"  I  hear  your  boats  arrived  off  Fairfield 
beach  at  one  o'clock  this  morning,"  said  De- 
sire cheerily.  "  I  am  waiting  impatiently  to 
hear  the  story  of  your  adventure." 

^^  Our  adventure,"  remarked  Major  Tall- 
madge, with  enthusiasm.  "  Yours  not  less 
than  mine." 

He  seated  himself  near  the  settle,  while 
David,  Lois,  Minto,  and  Chloe  assumed  posi- 
tions in  various  parts  of  the  room  where 
they  might  watch  his  face  and  hear  the  nar- 
rative to  the  best  advantage. 


AT  FORT  ST.   GEORGE  351 

"  Well,  you  know  that  the  draft  o£  the 
fortification  and  the  schedule  of  munitions, 
supplies,  and  forces  sent  by  the  unknown 
patriot  "  —  the  of&cer  smiled  with  charming 
naivete  —  "satisfied  Washington  that  my  plan 
was  feasible ;  so  that  permission  was  given 
me,  and  I  brought  my  detachment  of  two 
companies  of  dismounted  dragoons  here  to 
Fairfield,  and  on  four  o'clock  of  the  21st  we 
embarked,  arriving  at  ^  Old  Man's '  on  Long 
Island  about  nine  in  the  evening.  By  ten, 
we  started  across,  and  a  pouring  rain  set  in, 
so  that  we  were  obliged  to  go  back  to  our 
boats,  which  we  had  placed  in  ambush,  and 
there  wait  until  the  next  night." 

"  That  was  too  bad,"  exclaimed  the  invalid. 

"  Almost  as  bad  as  hiding  in  the  heart  of 
the  forest  one  dismal  night  last  month,"  inter- 
rupted David  significantly. 

"  We  marched  over  to  Port  St.  George  the 
second  night,  and  arrived  at  four  in  the  morn- 
ing," continued  the  narrator,  with  a  conta- 
gious enthusiasm.  "  Just  at  break  of  day,  I 
put  my  detachment  in  motion,  having  con- 
cealed two  small  detachments  of  men  at  dif- 
ferent positions  from  the  fort,  where  they 
were  to  remain  until  the  enemy  opened  fire 
on  my  column.     The  pioneers  who  preceded 


352  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

me  had  reached  within  forty  yards  of  the 
stockade  before  they  were  discovered. 

" '  Who  comes  there  ? '  cried  their  sentinel, 
and  fired.  Before  the  smoke  cleared  from 
his  gun,  my  sergeant  had  reached  him  with 
his  bayonet  and  laid  him  low.  This  was  the 
signal  for  all  my  men  to  move  forward ;  and 
how  they  did  vie  with  one  another  to  enter 
the  fort !  So  resolute  were  they  that  a  break 
was  soon  made  in  the  stockade,  where  the 
rear  platoon  halted  to  prevent  the  prisoners 
from  escaping.  I  led  the  column  directly 
through  the  grand  parade  against  the  main 
fort,  which  we  carried  with  the  bayonet  in 
less  than  ten  minutes,  not  a  musket  being 
loaded.  At  the  same  instant  that  I  entered 
on  one  side  of  the  fort,  the  of&cers  command- 
ing the  two  smaller  detachments  mounted  the 
ramparts  on  the  other  side,  and  the  watch- 
word, '  Washington  and  glory,'  was  repeated 
from  the  three  points  of  the  fort  at  the  same 
time." 

"  Bless  de  Lo'd,  bless  de  Lo'd  !  '  Washing- 
ton and  glory  ! ' "  interrupted  Minto,  in  his 
irrepressible  excitement. 

"  '  Washington  and  glory  ! '  "  shouted  Lois 
and  Chloe.  The  mist  of  tears  filled  their 
eager  eyes. 


AT  FORT  ST.  GEORGE  353 

"  Grand  watchword  !  "  cried  Desire,  as  the 
color  mounted  her  pale  cheeks  and  she  raised 
herself  from  her  pillows  in  emphasis  of  her 
deep  feeling.  "But  we  break  the  story/'  she 
continued.     "  Pray  go  on." 

"  We  were  elated  with  victory,  and  made 
our  way  to  the  centre  of  the  fort ;  then  a 
volley  of  musketry  was  discharged  at  us  from 
the  windows  of  a  large  house.  We  re- 
turned the  fire,  and  then  found  it  necessary 
to  enter  the  place,  break  down  the  strong 
barricades,  and  drive  the  enemy  from  room 
to  room.  These  men  had  fired  upon  us  after 
the  fort  had  been  taken  and  the  colors  struck. 
According  to  the  usages  of  war,  their  lives 
were  forfeited,  but  I  ordered  the  slaughter 
to  cease.  It  was  an  extraordinary  victory. 
We  did  not  lose  a  man,  and  only  one  of 
our  soldiers  was  badly  wounded,  and  I  have 
brought  him  back  to  Fairfield,  where  he  will 
be  committed  to  the  loving  care  of  your  faith- 
ful nurses." 

"  Alas  !  "  exclaimed  Desire  regretfully, 
"  that  I  must  forego  the  sweet  pleasure  of 
looking  after  your  wounded  patriot ;  but  Lois 
will  do  her  part." 

"  Ah,  my  friend,"  replied  the  officer,  weav- 
ing infinite  praise,  sympathy,  admiration,  into 


354  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  words  with  which  he  addressed  the  invalid, 
"  you  have  served  far  beyond  the  measure 
of  common  soldiering  and  simple  devotion 
to  liberty.  You  have  won  a  well-merited  re- 
pose." 

"  We  are  waiting  for  the  rest  of  the  story/' 
said  Desire  quietly. 

"  When  we  secured  our  prisoners,  it  was 
discovered  that  some  of  the  redcoats  were  get- 
ting the  shipping  under  way.  Their  boats 
were  loaded  with  stores,  so  we  brought  the 
guns  of  the  fort  to  bear  upon  them,  and  they 
obeyed  orders ;  then  we  had  to  destroy  the 
immense  quantity  of  stuff  that  was  accumu- 
lating. Shipping,  provisions,  munitions  of 
war,  all  sorts  of  dry  goods,  were  committed 
to  the  flames.  A  few  valuable  articles  were 
placed  on  the  shoulders  of  the  prisoners,  who 
were  pinioned  two  and  two  together,  and  thus 
carried  across  the  island  to  our  boats.  The 
work  of  capturing  and  destroying  the  fort 
was  finished  at  eight  in  the  morning,  and  we 
put  about  to  recross.  I  took  with  me  a  dozen 
men  to  burn  the  magazine  at  Corum,  having 
mounted  horses  which  we  captured  at  the 
fort.  It  was  three  hours  later  that  we  re- 
joined our  comrades,  having  achieved  our 
purpose,  burning  everything  at  the  magazine. 


AT  FOBT  ST.   GEORGE  355 

and  riding  sixteen  miles  through  the  enemy's 
country  on  this  little  diversion.  Arriving  at 
the  appointed  rendezvous,  we  found  every- 
thing in  good  order,  and  having  rested  awhile, 
we  resumed  the  march  and  reached  our  boats 
at  four  o'clock ;  and  here  we  are  back  to 
Fairfield  by  midnight,  bringing  my  men  in 
fine  condition,  escorting  as  prisoners  of  war 
one  lieutenant-colonel,  the  commandant,  one 
lieutenant,  a  surgeon,  fifty  rank  and  file,  with 
a  host  of  others  in  the  garrison." 

"  ^  Washington  and  glory  ! '  say  I,"  ex- 
claimed David  jubilantly. 

"  Hallelujah,  hallelujah  !  Bless  de  Lo'd  !  " 
cried  Chloe,  with  genuine  religious  fervor. 
"  De  God  ob  battles  am  wid  us,  a  pillar  o' 
cloud  by  day,  and  by  night  de  glorious  pillar 
o'  fire." 

"And  now  that  I  have  told  my  story," 
observed  Major  Tallmadge,  "  I  am  wishing 
to  hear  a  good  report  on  your  part,"  turning 
toward  Desire  with  keen,  questioning  glance. 
"  In  fact,  your  report  should  have  come  first, 
but  such  impatience  as  you  manifested  was 
not  to  be  gainsaid.  Please  tell  me  what  the 
surgeon-general  says  concerning  Miss  Desire 
Hardy." 

"  Oh,  my  patient  is  doing  finely,"  inter- 


356  AN   UNKNOWN  PATBIOT 

rupted  Lois,  in  the  most  matter  of  fact  way. 
"  The  dislocated  shoulder  and  the  broken 
arm  are  getting  into  prime  condition.  It's 
only  the  bullet  wound  that  bothers  us,  and 
the  doctor  says  that  will  heal  in  good  time. 
I  suppose  it  will  be  some  weeks  before  Desire 
can  lord  it  over  us  in  the  old-time  way  and  go 
adventuring  up  and  down  the  country  like 
some  love-lorn  lassie  gone  daft;  but  she's 
coming  along.  No  fears  for  that  child.  I 
can't  find  out  what  she's  been  trying  to  do. 
I've  tried  to  make  her  confess  to  masquer- 
ading like  some  of  our  bold  female  patriots  at 
Groton,  but  she  only  smiles  and  keeps  still. 
Perhaps  you  know,  Major  Tallmadge?"  and 
Lois  waited  for  some  reply. 

"  Well,"  she  continued,  "  you  're  as  close- 
mouthed  as  she.  Never  mind.  I  '11  find  out 
some  time.  I'm  not  one  to  have  the  wool 
pulled  over  my  eyes  every  day." 

Desire  seemed  to  grow  restless  and  looked 
pained. 

"  Dear  soul !  "  exclaimed  Lois,  flinging  her- 
self down  by  the  settle,  and  touching  with 
ever  so  tender  a  touch  the  prostrate  sister, 
"  don't  mind  what  I  say.  You  may  have  all 
the  secrets  you  please,  and  I  '11  never  pry  into 
one  of  them.     You  're  the  sweetest,  noblest 


\ 


AT  FOET  ST.   GEORGE  357 

girl  in  all  the  world,  and  you  shall  go  and 
get  all  your  limbs  broken  and  your  body 
riddled  with  bullets,  and  I'll  not  say  one 
word  about  it  until  you  say  I  may,  so  long  as 
you  get  well  and  grow  to  be  your  own  dear 
self  ag-ain." 

As  Lois  spoke,  the  tears  ran  down  her 
cheeks,  and  she  kissed  Desire  over  and  over 
again,  while  Major  Tallmadge  sat  silently  in 
his  chair,  albeit  strangely  agitated  and  dis- 
tressed. 

''  I  thank  you,"  answered  Desire,  when  she 
finally  broke  the  stillness.  She  was  now 
speaking  to  the  major.  "  I  grow  strong  and 
happy  each  day.  I  see  the  beginning  of  the 
end.  Mark  well  my  words."  The  prophetic 
fire  transfigured  her  countenance.  "  It  may 
be  that  another  year  shall  roll  round  before 
the  clouds  break,  but  the  conflict  is  drawing 
nigh  its  end.  Great  Britain  will  come  to 
terms  of  honorable  peace,  and  America  shall 
be  free  j "  and  then  in  tones  of  wondrous 
sweetness,  with  rich  pathetic  power,  she  re- 
peated four  stanzas  of  "  The  American  Pa- 
triot's Prayer  : "  — 

"  *  Parent  of  all,  omnipotent 

In  heaven  and  earth  below, 
Through  all  creation's  bounds  unspent, 
Whose  streams  of  goodness  flow, 


358  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  '  Teach  me  to  know  from  whence  I  rose, 
And  unto  what  designed  ; 
No  private  aims  let  me  propose, 
Since  linked  with  human  kind. 

"  *  But  chief  to  hear  my  country's  voice, 
May  all  my  thoughts  incline  ; 
'T  is  reason's  law,  't  is  virtue's  choice, 
'T  is  nature's  call  and  Thine. 

"  *  Me  from  fair  Freedom's  sacred  cause 
Let  nothiug  e'er  divide  ; 
Grandeur,  nor  gold,  nor  vain  applause, 
Nor  friendship  false,  misguide.'  " 

"  Noble  sentiments,"  said  Major  Tallmadge, 
"  and  never  repeated  by  lips  more  worthy." 

"  Well,"  observed  Lois,  "  if  the  struggle  is 
near  the  end,  we  've  made  our  record  here  in 
Connecticut.  Poor  General  Putnam,  he 's 
gone,  but  for  a  time  he  was  a  tower  of 
strength  ;  and  General  Wooster,  he  gave  his 
life  for  his  native  land;  and  what  a  roster 
of  soldiers  we  've  furnished  General  Washing- 
ton, beside  taking  care  of  our  own  State." 

"  I  am  glad  that  Colonel  Humphrey  made 
use  of  our  slaves,"  remarked  Desire.  "  I 
shall  always  think  of  Minto  with  unbounded 
gratitude." 

The  servants  had  left  the  room  at  the  con- 
clusion of  Major  Tallmadge's  narrative. 

"  The  loyalty  and  courage  of  our  colored 


AT  FORT  ST.   GEORGE  359 

people  has  been  one  of  the  beautiful  incidents 
of  war.'* 

"  Yes,  I  've  heard  General  Washington  re- 
mark upon  it,"  said  the  major. 

"  And  we  must  n't  forget  the  poets  that 
have  sung  Hberty  into  the  hearts  of  our  peo- 
ple," continued  Lois.  "  Joel  Barlow,  John 
Trumbull,  David  Humphrey,  and  Timothy 
Dwight,  —  why,  such  men  do  more  to  fire  the 
souls  of  patriots  than  all  the  loud-mouthed 
speakers  in  the  land  !  " 

"  You  are  loyal  to  your  native  heath,  Lois," 
observed  Desire,  with  pride. 

"  And  so  are  you,"  interjected  the  sister. 

"  True.  Connecticut  compares  most  favor- 
ably with  other  States  both  in  the  number  and 
the  quality  of  the  men  she  has  -  furnished  in 
this  great  liberty  fight.  Massachusetts  may 
claim  precedence,  but  Connecticut  certainly 
comes  next.  I  call  Governor  Trumbull  the 
backbone  of  help  and  sympathy  for  General 
Washington.  Our  generals  have  been  his 
right-hand  men.  Our  statesmen  have  given 
wisdom,  nerve,  stability  to  the  councils  of 
Congress.  Silas  Deane  may  poke  fun  at  his 
co-worker,  Roger  Sherman,  but  they  both  are 
great  men  in  their  way,  bent  on  doing  their 
duty,  and  we  have  others  like  them." 


360  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  Ah,"  cried  David,  who  did  not  wish  to 
seem  indifferent  to  the  honor  of  his  State, 
"  it 's  our  ideas  that  have  done  the  work. 
We  're  a  remarkably  ingenious  and  thought- 
ful people.  We  are  self-made  above  many- 
others.  Our  ancestors  have  insisted  upon 
education  for  the  citizen.  We  have  been 
great  lovers  of  liberty  since  the  time  that 
Samuel  Hooker  set  his  seal  upon  the  court  of 
the  colony.  We  've  got  the  best  government 
among  the  States.  It 's  a  genuine  democracy, 
and  we  can  give  a  model  to  Congress  itself 
when  it  comes  to  the  pinch." 

"  Well,"  remarked  Major  Tallmadge,  ready 
to  share  this  State  eulogy  with  his  friends, 
"  Connecticut  has  been  most  generous  and 
willing  in  her  contribution  of  supplies;  and 
another  feather  in  her  cap  is  seen  when  I 
point  to  the  great  number  of  ships  and  boats 
of  all  descriptions  which  she  has  given  to 
fight  the  country's  battles  and  prey  upon  the 
enemy's  commerce,  — nearly  180,  carrying 
almost  1400  guns,  with  more  than  6000 
marines;  and  she  has  paid  great  sums  in 
taxes,  —  a  splendid  showing." 

Desire  was  happy  in  this  laudation  of  Con- 
necticut. 

"  I  would  not  have  you  forget,"  she  said, 


AT  FORT  ST.    GEORGE  361 

"  that  much  of  the  spiritual  force  which  has 
diffused  itself  through  the  conflict  came  from 
this  State ;  then  consider  the  energy,  the 
good  sense,  the  sterling  virtue,  the  magnifi- 
cent faith  manifested  by  our  goodly  company 
of  patriots.  Governor  Trumbull  is  a  typical 
man  of  the  State,  a  man  of  fine  and  noble 
spirit,  given  to  the  affairs  of  this  world  and 
the  next,  combining  the  two  in  such  way  that 
he  brings  things  to  the  issue  of  a  grand  and 
blessed  harmony." 

"  Very  true,"  interrupted  Lois  ;  ^^  but  it 's 
as  well  that  our  mutual  admiration  society 
holds  a  secret  session.  All  the  same,"  she 
continued,  with  spirit,  "this  panegyric  on 
Connecticut  is  deserved.  I  'm  glad  /  was 
born  in  the  famous  little  colony." 

But  this  jubilation  over  victory  and  glowing 
exhibit  of  patriotism  was  too  great  a  tax  upon 
the  strength  of  the  invalid.  Major  Tallmadge 
withdrew  amid  the  liveliest  congratulations, 
and  the  household  settled  down  to  such  a 
level  of  peace  as  seemed  possible  during  these 
piping  times  of  war. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

"have    I    NOT    SERVED    SEVEN    YEARS?" 

The  news  of  Cornwallis's  surrender  traveled 
to  Fairfield  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  and  the 
lads  wished  to  celebrate  the  auspicious  event. 
Since  the  old  town  was  burned,  poverty  had 
prevailed  to  such  an  extent  that  little  or  no- 
thing had  been  spared  for  such  unnecessary 
pleasures  as  a  village  festival  or  jubilee ;  and 
it  might  truthfully  be  remarked  that  the  oc- 
casions for  any  such  rejoicing  had  been  few 
and  far  between. 

But  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  meant  that 
the  war  could  not  survive  for  long.  The  pro- 
phecy of  Desire  was  coming  true.  The  begin- 
ning of  the  end  was  now  an  acknowledged 
fact. 

When  the  boys  discussed  among  themselves 
the  particular  form  to  be  g^ven  to  their  cele- 
bration, they  came  over  to  consult  Desire  and 
Lois  Hardy. 

"They're  as  good  as  boys  any  day,"  was 
the  generous  praise  awarded  them  by  their 


''HAVE  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS?''    363 

common  admirers  and  devotees,  the  sprightly, 
high-spirited  lads  of  the  village.  "  Why, 
they  can  ride  and  row,  shoot  a  musket  and 
run  a  race,  hoe  corn  or  mend  a  harness,  like 
any  man  in  town ;  and  they  're  as  lively  as 
crickets,"  continued  the  youngsters. 

"  Well,  I  suppose,"  said  Desire,  who  was 
now  her  old  self,  "  that  you  want  a  bonfire, 
although  it  is  n't  but  two  years  since  we  saw 
the  biggest,  grandest,  saddest  one  that  it  will 
ever  be  our  lot  to  look  upon." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  replied  the  boys,  "  we  must 
have  a  bonfire." 

"  Well,  you  can  find  enough  charred  sticks 
and  timbers  to  supply  you  with  all  necessary 
fuel,"  continued  Desire.  "  All  you  '11  have 
to  do  is  to  set  the  stuff  well  agoing,  and  it 
will  burn  with  the  fury  of  '79,  methinks." 

"  But  you  must  do  something  more  than 
make  a  vast  conflagration  of  old  ruins,"  ob- 
served Lois,  with  enthusiasm.  "  What  would 
you  say  to  an  effigy  of  old  Tryon,  — '  Great 
Wolf  Billy  the  Butcher  Firebrand  Tryon'  ?" 

"  That 's  what  we  're  after.  Good !  good ! " 
shouted  the  boys.  "  And  you  '11  help  us  make 
it  ?  "     The  remark  was  addressed  to  Lois. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  answered  this  popular  maiden. 
"  I  'm  always  ready  to  serve  my  country  5  " 


I 


364  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  the  roguish  expression  in  her  eyes  said 
that  she  was  not  the  less  prepared  to  serve 
companionable  lads  like  the  committee  in 
consultation. 

So  it  happened  on  an  Indian  summer's 
night  in  November,  1781,  that  the  volatile 
and  patriotic  youth  of  Fairfield  raised  a 
rickety,  fantastic  gibbet  on  the  Green  (per- 
mission having  been  granted  by  the  select- 
men), and  decorated  it  with  a  well-stuffed, 
wondrously  bedizened  j&gure  of  the  despised 
and  hated  monster  who  had  subjected  so 
many  patriots  to  his  cruelties. 

The  bonfire  illumined  the  Green,  and  gave 
a  weird,  ghostly  appearance  to  the  extrava- 
gant performances  of  the  boys.  The  towns- 
people, old  as  well  as  young,  naturally  grav- 
itated to  the  scene.  The  British  might  still 
be  in  possession  of  New  York,  and  Long 
Island  flourish  with  Tory  sentiment  and  spirit, 
nevertheless  independence  was  in  the  air.  A 
few  months,  and  the  redcoats  must  depart 
for  good.  The  gray  light  on  the  eastern 
horizon  forecast  the  full-orbed  day  of  peace. 
So  the  staid,  serious  people  of  this  New  Eng- 
land town  could  afford  to  thrust  dignity  one 
side  for  a  night  and  join  the  frolic  of  the 
rising  generation. 


"have  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS?''     365 

A  new  court  house  had  been  reared  near 
the  middle  of  the  Green,  and  three  or  four 
small  dwellings  on  the  edge  of  the  open, 
added  to  the  four  left  standing  after  the 
burning,  gave  an  appearance  of  recovery  that 
was  not  altogether  dispelled  by  the  gaunt 
black  chimneys  which  towered  above  the  ruins 
that  framed  the  public  common.  A  broad 
fringe  of  men  and  women  moved  along  the 
edges  of  the  familiar  place,  stopping  now  and 
then  to  peer  into  the  ashes  of  the  meeting- 
house, or  comment  upon  the  great  losses  which 
hampered  them  in  work. 

"  They  have  swung  the  old  wretch  aloft," 
said  Lois  to  David,  as  they  stood  in  front 
of  the  Bulkley  house.  "  How  I  wish  it  was 
really  the  man  himself  brought  out  of  these 
headquarters ! "  She  pointed  over  her  shoulder 
to  the  dwelling  that  had  sheltered  Tryon 
when  he  was  destroying  the  town. 

"  Snarl  and  bite  now,  you  Great  Wolf," 
shouted  one  of  the  boys. 

"  Looking  for  another  butchering  job, 
Billy?"  mockingly  asked  a  second  youngster, 
as  the  effigy  twisted  itself  around  and  faced 
the  north. 

"  How  do  you  like  that  ? "  exclaimed  a 
third  tormentor,  as  a  rotten  egg  struck  the 


366  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

figure  square  in  the  face  and  trickled  down 
upon  the  gorgeous  waistcoat. 

"  I  wonder  what  we  '11  do  with  the  Tories 
when  peace  is  declared,"  questioned  a  by- 
stander at  the  elbow  of  David. 

"  Do  with  'em/'  replied  a  voice  in  the  dark, 
"  hang  'em,  dang  'em  ! "  was  the  laconic 
reply.  "  Swing  the  devils  over  a  gibbet  like 
that !  "  and  the  shadowy  speaker  pointed  to 
the  effigy. 

"  Hang  'em,  dang  'em  !  "  shouted  one  of 
the  riotous  youths.  The  words  were  caught 
up  by  little  knots  of  revelers  until  the  refrain 
ranof  out  with  scandalous  distinctness  all  over 
the  Green,  seeming  to  disturb  the  very  ashes 
of  the  sanctuary  by  their  profane  vindictive- 
ness.     "  Hang  'em,  dang  'em  !  " 

Little  cross-currents  of  November  air  took 
the  words  and  tossed  them  above  the  din 
and  roar  of  the  frolic.  Ghostly  presences 
seemed  to  flit  about  through  the  shades  of 
night,  bandving  these  awful  words  with  each 
other. 

"  Try  on  !  Try  on  !  you  Firebrand,"  ex- 
claimed a  small  boy,  punning  upon  the  sol- 
dier's name.  "  Try  on  that !  "  and  the  small 
boy  threw  a  dab  of  tar  against  the  effigy, 
observing  gleefully  that  it  went  straight  for 


"have  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS?''     367 

the  middle  of  his  waistcoat,  where  it  stuck 
and  spread. 

^^  That's  the  thing!  That's  the  thing! 
Try  on  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers  1 "  sug- 
gested one  of  the  train-band.  And  soon  the 
dangling  object  was  besmeared  from  head 
to  foot  with  tar,  and  a  plentiful  supply  of 
feathers  was  laboriously  scattered  over  every 
inch  of  the  repugnant,  offensive  effigy,  while 
shouts  of  laughter,  cries  of  "  Hang  'em,  dang 
'em  !  "  and  loud,  reverberating  huzzas,  filled 
the  welkin. 

"  Now  toast  him ! "  exclaimed  a  husky 
voice  in  the  distance.  "  Give  him  a  taste  of 
fire." 

"  Yes,"  was  the  ready  answer,  "  send  him 
home,  down  among  the  devils  !  " 

"Fry  him,"  shouted  another  man. 

The  excitement  reached  its  height.  Tryon's 
effigy  had  been  taunted  and  humbled  to 
heart's  content.  Rotten  eggs  dripped  their 
vileness,  tar  and  feathers  coated  the  fig- 
ure with  their  grotesque  transmogrification. 
The  bonfire  burned  low,  so  that  it  could  easily 
be  moved.  It  did  not  take  many  minutes  to 
carry  the  burning  pieces  of  wood  to  a  place 
beneath  the  gibbet,  and  then  heap  high  the 
pile  with  fresh  fuel.     A  brief  delay,  and  the 


368  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

mass  was  burning  with  redoubled  fury ;  while 
amid  the  frenzied  exultations  of  the  boys 
and  the  resounding  laughter  of  their  elders, 
the  tar  and  feathers,  the  stuffed  boots  and 
martial  hat,  the  gay  waistcoat  and  highly 
scented  material  which  constituted  the  ficti- 
tious person  of  General  "  Great  Wolf  Billy 
the  Butcher  Firebrand  "  Try  on  was  ignomini- 
ously  reduced  to  ashes. 

"Mis'  D'sire,"  whispered  Minto,  who  ap- 
proached at  this  stage  of  the  festivities, 
"  Mas'r  Duane  at  de  house.  He  wish  to  see 
you. 

For  more  than  a  year  Mr.  Livingstone 
had  avoided  Fairfield,  and  this  was  his  first 
appearance  since  he  bade  Desire  Hardy 
good-by,  a  few  days  after  she  was  brought 
home  a  wounded,  shattered  woman. 

"Desire,"  exclaimed  the  young  man, 
"you  've  got  my  message  about  Yorktown?" 
This  was  his  greeting. 

"  Yes,  Duane,"  was  the  answer.  "  You 
see  the  town  boys  are  celebrating  the  glorious 
event." 

"  You  know  what  it  means,  child  ?  "  Liv- 
ingstone spoke  under  strong  emotion. 

"  It  is  the  beginning  of  the  end.  America 
is  free.     Great  Britain  will  make  terms  of 


"HAVE  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS?''     369 

peace  with  us  and  acknowledge  our  inde- 
pendence." The  speaker  was  aglow  with  pas- 
sion. 

"  Yes,  Desire,  it  means  all  that."  How 
sweet  and  tender  in  its  manliness  was  his 
voice.  What  depth  of  pure  feeling  did  his 
glad,  eager,  luminous  eyes  reveal !  "  And 
does  it  not  mean  another  thing  for  you  and 
me  ?  " 

It  was  a  questioning  intense,  painful  in 
its  seriousness,  bringing  Desire  down  from 
her  lofty  pedestal  of  patriotic  enthusiasm  face 
to  face  with  an  imperious  spirit  and  life's  des- 
tiny. The  woman  paled  under  the  ardent 
gaze  of  her  lover.  There  was  a  sudden  heav- 
ing of  the  breast,  a  pathetic  sob  smote  the  ear. 

"  Desire,  Desire,"  continued  he,  with  warn- 
ing notes  of  fear,  if  not  despair,  sounding 
through  his  words,  "  have  I  not  served  these 
seven  years  !  Do  you  love  your  country  so 
that  no  love  is  left  for  me  ?  "  He  was  watch- 
ing the  play  of  emotion  in  her  countenance. 

A  sudden  pang  of  jealousy  pierced  his 
heart.  It  could  not  be  that  she  really  cared 
for  that  Tory  refugee,  Spalding,  felled  like 
an  ox  by  the  mighty  arm  of  Minto. 

Was  it  Aaron  Burr?  He  had  written 
her  numerous  gay,  lively,   charming   letters, 


370  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

and  often  seen  her  in  his  visits  to  cousin 
Thaddeus.  But  then  Burr  was  a  flirt,  mak- 
ing love  to  every  woman,  and  they  aU  knew 
it.  Desire  could  not  be  such  a  fool  as  to  give 
her  heart  to  that  fickle  gallant.  And  Burr 
loved  a  widow,  upon  whom  he  was  lavishing 
his  attentions.  Had  he  not  studied  law  with 
Judge  Patterson,  and  then  mth  Thomas 
Smith  ?  Was  he  not  expecting  to  be  admitted 
to  the  bar  soon,  in  order  (so  it  was  reported) 
that  he  might  repair  his  wasted  fortunes,  gain 
a  good  income,  and  then  marry  Mrs.  Pre- 
vost  ?  It  could  n't  be  that  Aaron  Burr  had 
won  the  love  of  a  sensible  woman  like  Desire 
Hardy. 

But  there  were  other  gentlemen  that 
haunted  the  Hardy  homestead,  and  chief 
among  them  was  Colonel  Tallmadge.  Living- 
stone had  never  met  the  man,  but  he  knew 
that  he  was  the  sort  of  a  soldier  and  patriot 
to  command  the  homage  of  most  women. 
And  Tallmadge  had  been  a  frequent  visitor 
and  a  not  infrequent  correspondent. 

As  these  thoughts  ran  through  his  mind, 
Desire  remained  silent,  and  her  expression 
gradually  assumed  that  of  a  person  surprised, 
shocked,  by  the  suddenness  of  some  startling 
announcement. 


"HAVE  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS?''     371 

"  Is  it  Colonel  Tallmadge  ?  "  murmured 
Livingstone,  putting  his  thought  into  speech, 
and  talking  to  himself  more  than  to  the 
woman  by  his  side. 

There  was  a  slight  flash,  a  swift  lifting  of 
the  head  in  anger,  the  kindling  of  a  proud 
spirit. 

"  My  cousin  "  (spoken  with  great  dignity), 
^^you  are  hasty  in  your  addresses."  By  a 
strong  effort  she  mastered  herself,  continu- 
ing with  gentle  reserve,  '^  The  news  of 
Yorktown  is  still  fresh.  We  have  not  had 
time  to  think  upon  it  in  all  its  bearings. 
Other  days  will  follow,  and  —  and  "  —  she 
stumbled  and  hesitated  —  "  there  will  be  time 
to  think  everything  over." 

There  was  the  faintest  intimation  of  a  smile 
upon  her  lips,  and  her  eyes  certainly  beamed 
with  friendliness. 

"  Forgive  me.  Desire,  for  all  my  boyish 
rashness  and  folly.  We  '11  sit  down  and 
visit,"  for  they  had  stood  thus  far  through 
the  interview.  "  And  I  'm  your  cousin  to- 
night, if  nothing  more,  so  give  me  a  kiss,"  a 
request  which  was  granted  on  the  instant,  and 
an  incident  which  appeared  by  no  means  to 
be  devoid  of  interest  to  either  party. 

"  I  've   heard   from   Tryon    recently,"    ob- 


372  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

served  Livingstone,  in  a  matter  of  fact  way. 
"  He  inquired  for  you  and  David." 

"  We  've  burned  him  here  to-night/'  re- 
pHed  Desire  genially.  "  The  boys  have  had 
great  fun.  You  did  n't  catch  the  refrain 
that 's  been  sounding  and  resounding  through 
the  town  the  last  hour,  did  you  ?  It 's  a 
solemn  warning  to  you,  Duane."  She  was 
laughing  merrily  at  her  jest. 

"  Some  new  song  of  Barlow's  or  Trum- 
bull's ?  " 

"  Oh,  no ;  simply  a  concise,  significant 
phrase.  When  Tryon  was  hanging  on  his 
gibbet,  somebody  asked  what  was  to  be  done 
with  the  Tories  in  our  midst,  and  some  pro- 
fane bystander  sang  out,  'Hang  'em,  dang 
'em ! '  and  all  the  boys  and  perhaps  a  portion 
of  the  grown-ups  have  been  singing  it  ever 
since.  You  '11  have  to  look  out  for  your- 
self." 

"  Desire,  what  do  you  say  to  taking  Lois 
and  David  and  going  with  me  to  Boston  for  a 
week  or  two  ?  Now  that  Mrs.  Hancock  has 
invited  you  so  many  times  and  everything  is 
quiet  here  in  the  north,  and  I  've  some  busi- 
ness in  that  section,  why  not  make  the  jour- 
ney with  me  ?  I  'm  only  stopping  here  for  a 
day  or  two,  and  then  I  'm  off." 


''HAVE  I  NOT  SEEVEB  SEVEN   YEABS?''    373 

John  Hancock  was  the  first  governor  of 
the  State  of  Massachusetts.  His  spouse  had 
not  forgotten  the  happy  days  in  Fairfield  and 
the  friendship  of  Desire  Hardy.  A  pleasant 
correspondence  had  extended  through  the 
years,  with  varied  and  occasional  renewings  of 
personal  intercourse  when  the  Boston  beauty 
revisited  the  scene  of  her  nuptials.  At  the 
time  news  of  Desire's  injuries  had  reached  the 
ears  of  the  Hancocks,  a  most  urgent  request 
had  been  sent  her  to  come  and  stay  with 
them  when  able  to  make  the  journey.  This 
was  the  first  opportunity  to  gratify  the  wish. 

It  was  a  merry  company  that  joined  Mr. 
Duane  Livingstone  at  Lebanon  three  days 
after  the  celebration  on  Fairfield  Green. 

Governor  Trumbull  and  his  council  had 
issued  a  proclamation  urging  their  fellow 
citizens  not  to  raise  a  single  cent  the  price  of 
provisions  during  the  passage  of  the  French 
troops  through  the  State  on  their  march  to 
Boston.  The  injunction  had  been  obeyed, 
the  people  dealing  generously  with  their  for- 
eign allies,  so  that  a  feeling  of  marked  cor- 
diality prevailed.  The  young  folks  noted  it, 
and  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  times. 

Was  there  not  good  reason  for  rejoi- 
cings ?     The  fair  prospects  for  peace  filled 


374  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

every  patriotic  heart  with  grand  hopes.  It 
was  not  alone  that  war  must  cease,  —  all  the 
cruel  butchery  and  woeful  desolation,  —  but 
from  the  ashes  of  conflagrations,  from  the 
blood  which  encrimsoned  many  a  field,  there 
must  spring  a  new  State  and  a  people  sancti- 
fied to  the  championship  of  eternal  liberty 
and  righteousness.  Governor  Trumbull  had 
issued  his  proclamation  for  a  Thanksgiving,  in 
which  he  spoke  of  the  promising  and  happy 
turn  of  public  affairs,  the  singular  interposi- 
tions of  Providence,  and  the  perfect  union  and 

understandino^   existing^  between   the  Ameri- 
ca o 

cans  and  their  allies.  All  these  things  quick- 
ened the  hearts  of  the  people,  wooing  them 
into  extraordinary  merry-makings,  wondrously 
mitigating  their  distresses,  inducing  an  at- 
mosphere of  cheerfulness  which  contrasted 
boldly  with  the  sorrow  and  depression  of 
seven  years. 

The  gorgeous  foliage  of  autumn  had 
withered  and  fallen,  there  were  no  flowers  to 
brighten  field  or  forest,  the  landscape  was 
taking  unto  itself  the  barren,  hostile  aspect 
of  winter ;  yet  it  was  the  gayest,  happiest 
journey  of  life  for  these  travelers. 

They  stretched  it  over  four  days,  the  length 
of  a  stage  trip.    They  lingered  in  every  town 


GOVERNOR  JONATHAN  TRUMBULL 


''HAVE  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN    YEARS?''     375 

where  there  was  any  excuse  for  delay.  As 
the  quartette  ambled  along  together  on  their 
horses,  the  war  and  matters  of  state  were  dis- 
cussed. Desire  was  reciting  the  part  which 
Connecticut  had  taken  in  the  conflict,  going 
over  the  various  episodes  in  the  British  at- 
tempts to  annoy  and  humiliate  the  citizens 
of  the  little  State,  reviewing  the  incursions 
at  Horseneck,  North  Stamford,  Stonington, 
Darien,  New  London,  and  other  places,  eulo- 
gizing the  Yankee  soldiers  and  sailors,  nour- 
ishing her  New  England  pride  with  every 
memorable  deed  and  service  which  she  was 
able  to  recall. 

But  there  were  hours  when  David  and  Lois 
dropped  behind  or  cantered  on  ahead.  Those 
were  the  sweetest  hours  of  the  day. 

Duane  had  learned  his  lesson.  Desire  was 
longing  to  be  wooed  and  won  in  the  good 
old-fashioned  way.  He  had  been  too  swift, 
eager,  inconsequent,  on  the  evening  of  the 
Yorktown  celebration.  All  these  years,  when 
he  was  serving  with  the  thought  of  Desire 
supreme  in  his  soul,  she  had  been  absorbed 
in  the  struggle  for  freedom.  Sex  love  re- 
mained in  absolute  abeyance.  Men  were 
fellow  patriots  with  this  martyr-spirited,  ex- 
traordinary woman.    She  lived  in  the  achieve- 


376  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

ments  of  the  statesmen  and  soldiers  fighting 
the  country's  battles  and  shaping  the  nation  s 
destiny.  That  work  had  now  assumed  such 
character  that  one  mio^ht  abide  in  the  reason- 
able  assurance  that  the  end  was  victory  for 
those  exalted  ideals  which  swayed  the  mind 
of  the  unselfish^  liberty-loving  comrade. 

And  now  a  man  who  had  been  true  to  her 
through  long  years,  loving  with  a  passion  so 
pure  and  noble  that  no  sacrifice  became  too 
great  for  him,  —  sacrifice  itself  being  lost  or 
glorified  in  devotion,  —  this  man  was  come  to 
awaken  in  her  the  responsive  passion.  She 
was  to  be  made  conscious  of  her  woman's  na- 
ture. It  was  a  change  —  a  wrench  from  the 
life  which  had  completely  absorbed  her  to 
another  which  made  the  same  insistent  de- 
mands, or  greater. 

Duane  Livingstone,  now  reading  her  like 
the  open  pages  of  a  book,  set  himself  to  the 
happy  task  of  enkindling  a  flame  as  subtly 
strong,  as  intense,  spiritual,  and  consuming, 
as  that  which  mastered  and  purified  his  own 
heart. 

There  were  memorable  days  in  Boston. 
The  governor's  lady  might  have  the  guest  to 
herself  some  little  portion  of  the  time,  but 
Desire  was  unresistingly  monopolized  by  Mr. 


''HAVE  I  NOT  SERVED  SEVEN   YEARS  r'    377 

Livingstone.  When  the  fair  Dorothy  observed 
this  trend  of  true  love,  the  way  of  courtship 
was  made  a  path  of  roses. 

"  They  were  tragic  days  which  drove  us 
away  from  Boston,"  said  Mrs.  Hancock, 
"  but  it  was  a  generous  and  delightful  hospi- 
tality extended  to  us  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burr. 
What  a  summer  of  gayety  and  hapj)iness,  in 
spite  of  war  and  adversity  !  " 

"  Were  they  not  sweet  hours  of  hope,  brave, 
gladsome  hours  of  friendship,  that  we  spent 
together  ?  "  observed  Desire. 

"  Child,"  was  the  reply,  "  perhaps  it  was 
the  atmosphere  of  love  in  which  we  lived." 
She  gave  the  hand  of  Desire  a  gentle  pressure, 
and  smiled  like  one  living  over  again  the 
sweet,  beautiful  days  of  budding  passion. 
"  Was  it  not  a  kind  and  lovely  thing  to  do, 
—  the  mothering  of  an  exile  and  the  giving 
her  a  wedding  ?  "  They  were  recalling  past 
days.  "  Child,  let  us  have  a  wedding  here  in 
Boston,  and  you  shall  be  the  bride." 

There  was  a  long,  long  silence ;  many 
thoughts  of  home,  childhood,  and  mother ;  a 
swift  panorama  of  years ;  at  length  a  quiet, 
gentle,  confiding  assent. 

So  the  Rev.  Andrew  Eliot  came  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Thaddeus   Burr,   that  they  might 


378  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

share  the  joyous  event.  It  was  not  a  case  of 
exile  from  home  and  the  awful  straits  of  war^ 
as  when  John  Hancock  married  Dorothy  Q. ; 
nevertheless,  it  was  the  bridegroom  on  both 
occasions  who  gathered  the  silks,  the  laces, 
the  white  hats,  the  gay  stockings,  the  pretty 
shoes,  the  exquisite  fabrics  and  shining  baubles 
which  graced  the  lady  of  his  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

HONORED    BY    WASHINGTON 

"  The  President  will  pass  this  way  in  Octo- 
ber, and  he  has  expressed  a  wish  to  meet 
'  D.  H.'  "  It  was  Colonel  Tallmadge  speak- 
ing to  David  Hardy  in  the  humble  home 
which  had  been  reared  the  year  following  the 
burning:  of  Fairfield.   . 

"  I  think  the  meeting  can  be  arranged, 
colonel,"  was  the  reply ;  "  but  tell  me  what  the 
general  knows  concerning  '  D.  H.'  "  There 
was  a  note  of  curiosity  in  the  question. 

"  Well,  David,"  said  the  speaker,  with  a 
humorous  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  "  one  or  two  of 
those  love  letters  which  passed  through  our 
hands  were  signed,  unwittingly  I  suppose,  by 
the  writer  of  them,  not  the  full  name,  simply 
the  initials  ^  D.  H.'  It  is  almost  ten  years 
since  they  were  written,  and  General  Wash- 
ington has  kept  them  all.  He  may  wish  to 
give  these  unique  epistles  back  to  the  writer 
of  them." 

David  was  bewildered. 


380  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

"  I  '11  arrange  the  meeting,  colonel,  but  I 
don't  seem  to  remember  about  the  love  let- 
ters," and  the  gentleman  gazed  abstractedly 
at  his  caller. 

"  A  great  deal  has  happened  since  those 
days/'  continued  Colonel  Tallmadge  cheerily. 

"  Yes,  to  you  and  Desire  and  Lois  and 
Duane  and  the  country,  but  nothing  extraor- 
dinary to  me.  Here  I  sit  and  study,  or  go 
out  on  the  farm  and  work,  and  it 's  day  in 
and  day  out.  I  'm  fairly  happy,  colonel,  how- 
ever," a  smile  illumining  his  face.  "  What  a 
fund  of  interesting  reminiscence  you  must 
have  to  draw  on  for  the  pleasure  of  your 
friends ! " 

"  David,  you  flatter  me.  I  expect  to  be- 
come a  garrulous  old  man,  for  I  love  to  recall 
the  days  of  yore.  So  much  has  been  said 
about  Washington's  lack  of  deep  feeling  or 
his  command  of  the  emotions,  that  I  must  tell 
you  how  he  said  good-by  to  us  when  the  army 
was  disbanded  and  he  left  for  Mount  Vernon. 
We  were  at  Fraunces'  tavern,  you  know.  We 
had  taken  some  slight  refreshment,  when  the 
general  filled  his  glass,  and,  turning  to  his 
officers,  said,  '  With  a  heart  full  of  love  and 
gratitude  I  now  take  leave  of  you.  I  most 
devoutly  wish  that  your  latter  days  may  be  as 


HONORED  BY  WASHINGTON  381 

prosperous  and  happy  as  your  former  ones 
have  been  glorious  and  honorable.'  " 

"Fine!  fine!"  interrupted  David  Hardy, 
kindling  with  his  old-time  enthusiasm.  "  I  'd 
like  to  have  been  a  witness  to  the  scene." 

"After  the  officers  had  taken  a  glass  of 
wine,"  continued  Colonel  Tallmadge,  now 
aglow  with  interest  in  his  own  narrative, 
"  General  Washington  said  (and  I  remember 
it  as  though  it  was  only  yesterday),  ^I  can- 
not come  to  each  of  you,  but  shall  be  obliged 
if  each  of  you  will  come  and  take  me  by 
the  hand.'  Greneral  Knox  was  nearest  to 
him.  He  turned  to  the  Commander-in-chief, 
who,  suffused  with  tears,  was  incapable  of 
utterance,  but  grasped  his  hand,  when  they 
embraced  each  other  in  silence." 

At  this  point,  the  reminiscent  mood  over- 
whelmed the  narrator  with  its  sacred  memo- 
ries. A  moment  elapsed  before  he  went  on 
with  the  story. 

''  In  the  same  affectionate  manner,  every 
officer  in  the  room  marched  up  to,  kissed,  and 
parted  with  his  General-in-chief .  Such  a  scene 
of  weeping  I  had  never  before  witnessed,  and 
I  hope  I  may  never  be  called  upon  to  witness 
again,"  —  the  speaker's  breast  heaved  with 
emotion,    the    eyes    of    David    filled.      "  It 


882  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

seemed  as  if  every  heart  was  ready  to  burst 
from  its  wonted  abode.  Not  a  word  was  ut- 
tered to  break  the  solemn  silence  that  pre- 
vailed, or  to  interrupt  the  tenderness  of  the 
hour. 

"David,  we  were  parting  with  the  man 
who  had  conducted  us  through  a  long  and 
bloody  war,  and  under  whose  conduct  the 
glory  and  independence  of  our  country  had 
been  achieved.  The  thought  that  we  might 
not  see  his  face  again  in  this  world  seemed 
to  me  utterly  insupportable ;  but  the  time  of 
separation  had  come,  and,  waving  his  hand 
to  his  grieving  children  around  him,  he  left 
the  room,  and,  passing  through  a  corps  of 
light  infantry  who  were  paraded  to  receive 
him,  he  walked  silently  on  to  Whitehall, 
where  a  barge  was  in  waiting.  David,  it  was 
a  heartrending  scene.  A  few  days,  and  we 
were  all  scattered,  returning  to  our  several 
abodes,  beginning  anew  the  vocations  in  life 
which  had  been  laid  one  side  while  fighting 
for  human  rights." 

"  Oh,  colonel,  I  can  well  believe  that  the 
heart  of  the  old  soldier  was  bleeding;  and 
Colonel  Humphrey  has  told  me  how  General 
Washington  returned  to  Mount  Vernon,  and 
how  true  and  good  he  has  been  to  all  the 


HONORED  BY  WASHINGTON  383 

brave,  great  souls  that  fought  his  battles. 
God  bless  him !  And  now  we  are  to  be 
honored  with  his  presence." 

"  Yes/'  continued  Colonel  Tallmadge,  "  and 
I  am  sure  that  he  has  it  in  his  heart  to  utter 
what  will  prove  more  precious  than  jewels 
unto  '  D.  H./  for  many  times  have  I  heard 
him  say  that  when  the  opportunity  came  and 
it  consorted  with  wisdom,  he  wished  to  meet 
my  unknown  patriot  and  render  in  person  his 
thanks  for  many  remarkable  services." 

The  speaker  gazed  inquiringly  at  David ; 
but  the  far-away  look  had  crept  into  his  eyes, 
so  that  he  seemed  like  one  wandering  in 
dreamland  or  lost  in  deep  reverie. 

"  David/'  said  this  friend,  raising  his  voice 
and  speaking  with  such  emphasis  that  the 
man  was  brought  back  to  himself,  "  you  've 
never  been  free  and  square  with  me  on  this 
matter,  —  not  that  you  have  done  anything 
inconsistent  with  honor.  Don't  think  I  mean 
that,  my  man ;  but  you  have  hidden  away  the 
facts  and  experiences  clustering  about  your 
service  for  Washington  and  the  cause  of  lib- 
erty with  such  modesty  that  not  a  soul  knows 
our  indebtedness  to  you." 

David  shifted  uneasily  in  his  chair,  glanced 
out  of  the  window  and  into  the  fire,  then 


384  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

turned  slowly  to  his  friend  and  remained 
silent. 

"  Why  not  question  Desire  ?  She  knows 
all  about  it,  and  can  tell  what  she  pleases ; 
and  methinks,  colonel,  that  you  came  to  her 
five  times  where  you  came  to  me  once." 

"  David,  you  're  the  most  subtle,  reticent 
fellow,  I  believe,  in  all  the  world.  Don't  try 
to  shift  the  responsibility  for  your  noble  ser- 
vices to  the  shoulders  of  your  sister.  She  's 
done  enough  to  put  us  under  obligations  with- 
out assuming  the  credit  and  glory  belonging 
to  you ;  and  mind,  comrade,  I  'm  not  prying 
into  your  affairs.  It 's  your  right  to  bury 
these  secrets  with  you  when  you  die-;  but  I 
would  like  to  see  people  render  you  some  part 
of  the  praise  which  is  your  due." 

The  health  of  David  Hardy  had  not  been 
good  since  the  close  of  the  war.  Service  and 
exposure  had  crippled  him,  albeit  he  never 
referred  to  his  sacrifices  or  sought  any  pay 
for  his  defense  of  the  country.  He  was  lead- 
ing a  bachelor  life,  under  the  foster  care  of 
old  Minto  and  Chloe,  too  feeble  and  dif&dent 
to  take  up  the  work  of  preaching,  growing 
more  and  more  indifferent  to  the  world,  be- 
coming wholly  centred  in  his  favorite  studies 
and  pursuits. 


HONORED  BY   WASHINGTON  385 

Public  sentiment  and  the  lively  imagination 
of  friends  surrounded  the  recluse  with  the 
glamour  of  romance.  It  was  whispered  that 
he  had  been  the  confidant  of  Washington, 
one  of  his  secret  right-hand  men,  a  quiet, 
tireless,  sagacious  agent,  engaged  in  impor- 
tant matters  of  war  and  peace.  The  boys  of 
the  town  looked  upon  David  with  reverence, 
repeating  over  and  over  to  one  another 
wonderful  stories  of  hairbreadth  escapes  and 
unparalleled  achievements,  giving  him  credit 
for  all  sorts  of  good  deeds  and  daring  ex- 
ploits. It  was  impossible  to  say  how  these 
tales  became  current,  but  many  people  knew 
that  his  sister  Desire  never  denied  their  truth, 
and  on  more  than  one  occasion  had  vouched 
for  their  historic  accuracy. 

Colonel  Tallmadge  had  become  familiar 
with  these  reports,  and  sometimes  took  pains 
to  express  his  appreciation  of  the  services 
rendered  by  David  Hardy.  Any  revelation 
of  private  correspondence  or  secret  service 
was  unbecoming  in  him,  but  the  impression 
prevailed  that  he  might  say  not  a  little  to 
enlighten  people  concerning  the  part  which 
David  had  taken  when  he  visited  Long  Island 
and  New  York  as  a  spy. 

Colonel  Tallmadge,  however,    remained  in 


386  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

the  dark,  so  far  as  the  work  done  for  Wash- 
ington by  the  Hardy  family  was  concerned. 
He  had  reached  the  conclusion  that  David 
was  the  one  who  had  incurred  the  great  risks 
and  established  a  network  of  secret  intelli- 
gence among  his  allies  in  the  enemy's  ranks, 
Desire  being  the  helper  through  whom  the 
brother  had  chosen  to  work.  She  had  encour- 
aged Colonel  Tallmadge  in  this  view  of  the 
matter ;  so  when  he  told  David  that  Washing- 
ton was  coming,  and  that  the  general  wished 
to  meet  "  D.  H.,"  the  colonel  was  puzzled  by 
the  vague,  non-committal  manner  of  his  friend. 

It  was  an  important  and  extraordinary 
service  which  the  unknown  patriot  had  ren- 
dered the  cause  of  American  Independence. 
For  years,  this  individual  had  transmitted  to 
Washington  exact  information  concerning 
almost  every  movement  in  the  north  planned 
by  the  enemy.  The  details  of  supplies,  forti- 
fications, number  of  troops,  army  life,  and 
organization  were  passed  through  this  trust- 
worthy and  invaluable  channel  of  communi- 
cation. 

To  employ  agents  in  such  a  work,  to  sift 
and  substantiate  their  reports,  to  organize 
and  conduct  a  system  of  espionage,  involved 
a  large  expenditure   of  money  as  well  as  a 


HONORED  BY   WASHINGTON  387 

large  investment  of  wit,  insight,  courage,  per- 
sonal force,  and  mastery.  Colonel  Tallmadge 
received  from  the  Commander-in-chief  small 
sums  of  money  to  carry  on  this  work,  but 
not  one  penny  of  it  had  ever  been  paid  to  an 
unknown  patriot.  The  generous  and  splendid 
service  done  by  this  nameless  person  was 
counted  simply  as  the  meet  offering  put  by  a 
loyal  spirit  upon  the  altar  of  his  country. 

No  account  of  perils,  escapes,  injuries,  sor- 
rows, or  losses  ever  reached  the  ears  of  Wash- 
ington. Not  only  was  curiosity  piqued,  but 
a  deep  feeling  of  gratitude  possessed  the 
heart  of  the  great  soldier.  He  had  treasured 
the  curious  love  letters  coming  to  him  through 
the  hands  of  Colonel  Tallmadge,  ultimately 
believing  that,  while  veritable  means  of  com- 
municating important  intelligence  to  him,  they 
were  also  genuine  expressions  of  a  romantic 
passion  existing  between  an  unknown  patriot 
and  the  unnamed  object  of  his  exalted,  im- 
perious love. 

It  was  the  evening:  of  October  the  16th 
that  President  Washinfyton  reached  Fairfield 
on  his  journey  through  New  England.  He 
dined  and  lodged  at  "  The  Sign  of  the  Sun," 
the  tavern  kept  by  Mr.  Penfield,  a  popular 
host. 


388  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

This  was  his  first  visit  since  the  conflagra- 
tion of  ten  years  ago,  and  Tryon's  scourge 
was  manifest  on  every  side.  Washington 
took  note  of  it.  "  The  destructive  evidences 
of  British  cruelty  are  yet  visible  in  Norwalk 
and  Fairfield,"  he  wrote  in  his  journal,  "  as 
there  are  the  chimneys  of  many  burnt  houses 
standing  in  them  yet." 

The  old  army  officers,  the  members  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety  and  Correspondence  liv- 
ing, the  men  who  had  served  in  civil  or  mili- 
tary capacity  during  the  period  when  the 
independence  of  the  colonies  was  achieved, 
paid  their  respects  to  the  great  man ;  and 
then  it  was  observed  that  he  slipped  away 
from  the  company  gathered  to  do  him  honor. 

Accompanied  by  Minto,  Washington 
crossed  the  Green  and  was  piloted  to  the 
Hardy  homestead. 

"  His  Excellency  de  President,"  said  the 
faithful  slave,  as  he  ushered  him  into  the 
plain  little  parlor,  now  adorned  with  a  goodly 
portion  of  David's  library. 

Washington's  face  was  an  interesting  study 
at  the  moment.  Surprise,  inquiry,  pleasure, 
confusion  and  gratitude,  recognition  and 
perplexity,  struggled  for  control.  The  candles 
flickered  in  their  stands.     The  flames  leaped 


HONORED  BY    WASHINGTON  389 

High  on  the  hearth  and  adorned  the  place 
with  a  ruddy  glow.  Shadows  in  their  play 
shifted  about  the  room.  The  Commander-in- 
chief  was  mystified. 

"  You  are  welcome,  honored  sir/'  said  David, 
as  he  extended  his  hand. 

"  We  are  old  acquaintances,  I  observe/' 
was  the  courteous  reply. 

"  Allow  me  to  present  my  sister/'  continued 
David,  "  Mrs.  Duane  Livingstone,  of  New 
York,  and  her  husband,  my  cousin." 

"  Friends  whom  I  esteem,"  answered  Wash- 
ington, greeting  them  with  marked  cordiality, 
albeit  amazement  still  the  dominant  expres- 
sion upon  his  countenance. 

There  ensued  a  few  moments  of  embarrass- 
ment. This  was  not  the  meeting^  that  Wash- 
ington  had  anticipated.  David  was  like  a 
man  awaking  from  uneasy  sleep,  groping  for 
his  bearings;  Desire,  nervous  and  hesitant, 
moved  by  some  deej),  inexplicable  emotion; 
Duane,  sphinx-like. 

Now  that  Washington  saw  David  Hardy, 
he  recalled  his  face  and  the  numerous  occa- 
sions when  he  had  met  him,  but  there  was 
not  manifest  in  his  countenance  that  peculiar 
intelliofence  which  the  Commander-in-chief  had 
pictured  to  himself ;  yet  the  initials  "  D.  H." 


390  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

fitted  the  man,  and  Colonel  Tallmadge  had 
arranged  this  meeting.  It  was  not  apparent 
why  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Livingstone  were  present, 
although  the  fact  of  their  intimate  relation- 
ship was  perhaps  sufficient  explanation. 
Washington  had  planned  to  meet  the  un- 
known patriot  in  strict  privacy;  but  if  the 
brave  man  desired  his  sister  and  her  hus- 
band to  be  present,  no  objections  could  be 
offered. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Livingstone  were  people  that 
General  Washington  had  known  these  several 
years.  Could  he  forget  the  charming  maiden 
who  drew  the  cooling  draught  of  water 
from  a  well  in  the  rear  of  Thaddeus  Burr's 
mansion  when  he  was  passing  through  Fair- 
field on  his  return  from  Boston  ?  When  he 
had  first 'greeted  her  as  a  married  woman,  the 
memory  of  that  humble  incident  was  revived. 
Desire  and  Duane  had  been  associated  with 
the  people  who  gave  shape  to  the  new  repub- 
lic, so  that  the  times  were  many  when  they 
met  in  a  social  or  public  way  the  man  whom 
all  delighted  to  honor. 

Washington  had  prepared  himself  to  face 
a  stranger.  He  was  in  the  presence  of  three 
old  friends. 

The   welcome   having  been  extended,  the 


HONORED  BY   WASHINGTON  391 

first    embarrassment    disappeared,    and    they 
were  soon  launched  in  conversation. 

At  length  AYashington  unfolded  a  packet 
o£  letters.  He  did  it  with  infinite  tender- 
ness, and  the  silence  was  broken  only  by  the 
rustling  of  paper  and  the  crackling  of  fire 
on  the  hearth.  The  yellow  sheets  showed  evi- 
dences of  rough  usage,  however  gently  Wash- 
ington might  handle  them  this  night  and 
spread  the  precious  fragments  before  him. 

They  were  various  shapes  and  sizes,  torn, 
defaced,  discolored,  wrinkled,  creased,  or 
faded.  Some  of  them  carried  an  address. 
Several  were  simply  marked,  "  My  Love." 
All  except  two  went  free  of  any  signature. 
The  tell-tale  initials,  "  D.  H.,"  had  been  writ- 
ten twice. 

"  These  letters,"  said  Washington,  who 
now  arose  and  stood  in  regal  manliness  be- 
fore them,  "  I  prize  above  any  gems  which 
gold  can  purchase.  They  have  had  a  pe- 
culiar value  for  me,  since  they  are  part  and 
parcel  of  the  victories  won  by  American  pa- 
triots over  British  oppressors ;  but  they  have 
served  the  end  for  which  they  came  into  my 
possession.  I  have  long  wished  to  return 
them  unto  their  rightful  owner,  for  I  believe 
that  the    intellio'ence    desio^ned    for  me   was 


392  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

hidden  in  messages  of  love  sent  by  '  D.  H.' 
to  the  woman  of  his  heart.  The  ingenious 
cipher  used  to  convey  secret  news  to  me  did 
not  deceive  in  respect  to  the  genuine  charac- 
ter of  the  sentiments  appearing  on  the  surface 
of  these  epistles.  To  me  they  have  been  the 
most  wonderful  and  pathetic  expressions  of 
an  affection  that  I  believe  the  sacredest^  hap- 
piest in  life." 

The  face  of  the  great  soldier  was  trans- 
figured. His  listeners  stood  before  him  in 
the  subdued  glow  of  the  light,  reflecting  his 
own  nobihty  of  spirit  and  glory  of  aspect. 

"I  return  these  letters  to  ^D.  H./  the 
writer  of  them."  As  he  spoke,  they  were 
pressed  into  the  unwilling  hands  of  David. 
"  And  I  render  my  heartfelt  gratitude  to  the 
unknown  patriot,  imploring  the  blessing  of 
heaven  upon  him  and  those  he  loves." 

It  was  one  of  the  supreme  moments  of  a 
lifetime. 

"  These  letters,"  replied  David,  choking 
with  the  emotions  welling  up  from  his  heart, 
"  I  writ  not,"  and  he  pushed  them  gravely, 
insistently,  back  into  the  hands  of  the  startled 
Washington.  "  There  was,  there  is,  a  nobler 
*  D.  H.'  than  David  Hardy."  He  was  speak- 
ing brokenly,  joy,  wonder,  pride,  striving  for 


HONORED  BY   WASHINGTON  393 

the  mastery.  "  Methinks  they  belong  to  my 
sister,  Desire  Hardy  Livingstone." 

The  great  soldier  seemed  more  deeply  per- 
plexed than  ever.  He  glanced  from  brother 
to  sister  like  one  dazed ;  then,  in  response  to 
the  suggestion  of  David,  he  thrust  them  into 
the  hands  of  Desire,  a  strange  light  suffusing 
his  face. 

"My  words  of  gratitude  and  benediction 
have  already  been  uttered  in  your  hearing, 
honored  and  beloved  madam,"  —  he  paused  in 
the  very  stress  of  inexpressible  admiration,  — 
"  but  how  feeble  and  inadequate  they  sound. 
A  glorious  work  has  been  achieved  by  your 
sacrifices." 

Words  seemed  to  fail  him,  and  Desire  broke 
silence. 

"  Did  not  your  Excellency  wish  to  give 
these  letters  into  the  keeping  of  the  writer  ?  " 
She  put  the  question  in  tender,  pathetic  way, 
catching  the  subdued  enthusiasm  manifest 
by  Washington.  "  I  did  not  write  them." 
Again  the  stillness  of  night,  a  moment  of 
intense  suspense.  "  There  was,  there  is,  a 
nobler  ^D.  H.' " — borrowing  her  brother's 
language  —  "  than  Desire  Hardy."  And  once 
more  the  tattered  letters  were  given  back  to 
Washington.     ^'  There   is   another   '  D.    H.' 


394  AN    UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

who  well  deserves  all  praise  and  reverence  for 
his  superlative  love  of  country  and  a  seven 
years'  matchless  fidelity,  sacrifice,  and  perils 
on  land  and  sea  in  behalf  of  liberty,  albeit 
they  were  years  of  secret  service,  and  the  secret 
must  remain  locked  forever  in  our  breasts." 

Washington  turned  to  David.  David  gazed 
upon  Livingstone.  A  great  light  was  break- 
ing ;  and  Desire,  in  wordless,  passionate,  ex- 
alted homage,  bowed  unto  her  husband. 

The  general  did  not  speak.  He  crossed 
the  room  to  Duane  Hardy  Livingstone,  gently 
deposited  the  letters  in  his  keeping,  then  by 
a  clasp  of  the  hands  and  by  unuttered  prayers 
sealed  in  a  covenant  of  love  and  secrecy  his 
relations  with  an  Unknown  Patriot. 

Late  on  the  October  night,  far  into  the 
morning,  that  little  room  was  like  a  Bethel. 
The  fire  on  the  hearth  played  fantastic  pranks, 
adorning  the  place  with  exquisite  tracery, 
flinging  beautiful  images  against  the  walls, 
casting  its  golden  glamour  over  each  object 
touched  by  its  magic  pencilings.  Two  sons 
of  Liberty  and  a  daughter  of  the  Revolution 
lingered  long  and  lovingly  amid  the  impalpa- 
ble, beneficent  shadows  that  filled  the  spaces 
with   their  indefinable  glory.     A  bundle  of 


HONORED  BY   WASHINGTON  395 

letters  passed  from  one  hand  to  another,  and 
many  a  kiss  was  printed  upon  the  ragged, 
glowing  sheets.  There  was  the  murmur  of 
low,  sweet  voices  woven  into  dearest,  sacredest 
reminiscence.  They  were  living  in  the  trans- 
figuring atmosphere  of  a  threefold  love, — 
the  love  of  true  heart  for  true  heart,  the  love 
of  a  patriot  for  his  country,  and  the  love  of 
man  for  God. 

Washington  and  his  company  left  "  The 
Sign  of  the  Sun  "at  an  early  hour,  having 
arranged  to  breakfast  at  Stratford.  When 
they  passed  the  Green,  the  soldier,  wrapped 
in  profound  meditation,  was  observed  to  lead 
the  way  by  a  small,  plain  cottage.  His  men 
respectfully  followed.  The  gray  of  the  morn 
had  been  pushed  one  side  by  innumerable 
shafts  of  roseate  light.  The  humble  home- 
stead resting  beneath  the  shelter  of  old  trees, 
now  clad  in  all  the  rainbow  hues  of  autumn, 
never  appeared  more  lovely  and  peaceful.  As 
Washington  came  abreast  the  place,  he  rever- 
ently uncovered,  as  one  might  pass  in  homage 
before  some  monarch  of  earth.  No  word  was 
spoken.  Simply  the  impact  of  the  horses'  feet 
upon  the  hard  ground  resounded  through  the 
crisp  air. 


396  AN   UNKNOWN  PATRIOT 

There  were  unspoken  words  echoing 
throuofh  the  soul  of  the  Great  Man ;  and 
when,  in  the  ardor  of  his  gratitude,  these 
voiceless  syllables  formed  upon  his  moving 
lips,  the  winds  caught  them  and  whispered  to 
one  another,  "  Ten  thousand  benisons  upon 
the  Unknown  Patriot  of  our  Land." 


ELECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED 
BY   H.   O.    HOUGHTON   AND   CO. 

CAMBRIDGE,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


